Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-22841

Intel Server Firmware Update Utility ≤ 16.0.7

Published
11 August 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.7
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0017 7th percentile
Risk Priority 47 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-22841 is a medium-severity Unquoted Search Path or Element (CWE-428) vulnerability in Intel Server Firmware Update Utility. Its CVSS base score is 6.7 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A08:2025 Software or Data Integrity Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Unquoted search path in the software installer for the System Firmware Update Utility (SysFwUpdt) for some Intel(R) Server Boards and Intel(R) Server Systems Based on Intel(R) 621A Chipset before version 16.0.7 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation…

more

of privilege via local access.

CWE(s)
CWE-428CWE-427

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1034 Path Interception Persistence
**This technique has been deprecated.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking environment variables used to load libraries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.008 Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the search order used to load other programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574 Hijack Execution Flow Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.001 DLL Stealth
Adversaries may abuse dynamic-link library files (DLLs) in order to achieve persistence, escalate privileges, and evade defenses.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.004 Dylib Hijacking Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own payloads by placing a malicious dynamic library (dylib) with an expected name in a path a victim application searches at runtime.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-27386Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2023-27298Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2023-34350Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2024-21784Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2024-22184Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2024-34153Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2025-20079Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2023-23577Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2024-21831Same vendor: Intel
CVE-2024-21837Same vendor: Intel

Affected Assets

intel
server firmware update utility
≤ 16.0.7

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

—

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly prevent path-handling flaws such as unquoted elements during development.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search-path settings and reduce exposure.

PR.PS-05 partial match
prevents

Execution allow-listing can block malicious binaries placed in hijackable search locations.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development can detect unquoted search-path issues before deployment.

A.8.19 Installation of software on operational systems partial match
degrades

Enforcing controlled software installation can prevent unquoted search-path elements in executables and scripts.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development lifecycle practices include input validation and path handling that reduce unquoted search-path weaknesses.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
degrades

Secure system architecture and engineering principles require safe path construction and quoting conventions.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards directly mandate quoting search paths and avoiding unsafe path construction.

A.8.32 Change management partial match
degrades

Change-management processes can enforce review of path-handling changes that might introduce unquoted elements.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-427

References