Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-34440

High

Published: 12 February 2025

Published
12 February 2025
Modified
15 April 2026
KEV Added
—
Patch
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CVSS Score v4 8.7 CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
EPSS Score 0.0002 6.4th percentile
Risk Priority 17 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2023-34440 is a high-severity Improper Input Validation (CWE-20) vulnerability in Intel (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.7 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique System Firmware (T1542.001); ranked at the 6.4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2023-34440 is an improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20) in the UEFI firmware for some Intel(R) Processors. Published on 2025-02-12, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity with local attack vector, high attack complexity, and requirements for high privileges.

The vulnerability can be exploited by a privileged user with local access to the affected system. Exploitation may enable escalation of privilege, potentially resulting in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with a changed scope that could affect broader system components.

Intel's security advisory (INTEL-SA-01139) addresses the issue at https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01139.html. Debian LTS has also issued an announcement regarding related updates at https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00021.html.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper input validation in UEFI firmware for some Intel(R) Processors may allow a privileged user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.

CWE(s)
CWE-20

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1542.001 System Firmware Stealth
Adversaries may modify system firmware to persist on systems.
attack.mitre.org →
Why these techniques?

Improper input validation in UEFI firmware directly enables exploitation of system firmware for pre-OS boot privilege escalation.

Confidence: MEDIUM · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v18.1

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-29214Shared CWE-20
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CVE-2024-0179Shared CWE-20
CVE-2024-28127Shared CWE-20
CVE-2024-24582Shared CWE-20
CVE-2024-21925Shared CWE-20
CVE-2026-2750Shared CWE-20
CVE-2026-22862Shared CWE-20
CVE-2025-27224Shared CWE-20
CVE-2026-21268Shared CWE-20

Affected Assets

Intel
—
inferred from references and description; NVD did not file a CPE for this CVE

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Directly requires the system to validate inputs to UEFI firmware components, comprehensively addressing the improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20).

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Mandates timely flaw remediation for the specific input validation vulnerability in Intel UEFI firmware as detailed in Intel-SA-01139.

SI-7 Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity partial match
preventdetect

Verifies the integrity of UEFI firmware to ensure it remains uncompromised and prevents exploitation through unauthorized modifications exacerbating the input validation flaw.

References