Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-21894

Medium

Published: 11 January 2022

Published
11 January 2022
Modified
21 November 2024
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 4.4 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS Score 0.3364 97.0th percentile
Risk Priority 29 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2022-21894 is a medium-severity Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10. Its CVSS base score is 4.4 (Medium).

Operationally, ranked in the top 3.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis

The vulnerability CVE-2022-21894 is described as a Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability. It carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.4 with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N and is associated with CWE-863 (incorrect authorization). The affected component is the Secure Boot mechanism referenced in Microsoft security guidance.

An attacker with local high-privileged access can exploit the flaw to bypass Secure Boot protections and obtain high-integrity impact on the system while leaving confidentiality and availability unaffected.

Microsoft Security Response Center advisories at the listed URLs provide official guidance and patches for addressing the issue. The associated EPSS score rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.5338 before receding to the current value of 0.3364, indicating a period of elevated exploitation interest after disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10
1607, 1809, 1909, 20h2, 21h1
microsoft
windows 11
all versions
microsoft
windows 8.1
all versions
microsoft
windows server
2022, 20h2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2016
all versions
microsoft
windows server 2019
all versions

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-863

Periodic review and update of procedures reduces incorrect authorization implementations over time.

addresses: CWE-863

Supervision identifies cases where authorization logic incorrectly permits unauthorized actions.

addresses: CWE-863

Defining permitted attribute values and auditing modifications reduces the chance of incorrect authorization outcomes due to tampered or missing labels.

addresses: CWE-863

The authorization process and usage restrictions help prevent incorrect authorization for remote access types.

addresses: CWE-863

Establishing configuration and connection requirements helps ensure correct rather than incorrect authorization for wireless access.

addresses: CWE-863

Establishing connection authorization processes for mobile devices helps ensure authorization decisions are correctly implemented rather than incorrect.

addresses: CWE-863

Monitoring account use, notifying on changes, and reviewing accounts for compliance corrects incorrect authorization assignments.

addresses: CWE-863

Ensures authorization decisions for external system use are correctly implemented and enforced.

References