efi: runtime: avoid EFIv2 runtime services on Apple x86 machines
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.21% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 3.3, 3.5, 3.6.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 3.3, 3.5, 3.6 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: efi: runtime: avoid EFIv2 runtime services on Apple x86 machines Aditya reports [0] that his recent MacbookPro crashes in the firmware when using the variable services at runtime. The culprit appears to be a call to QueryVariableInfo(), which we did not use to call on Apple x86 machines in the past as they only upgraded from EFI v1.10 to EFI v2.40 firmware fairly recently, and QueryVariableInfo() (along with UpdateCapsule() et al) was added in EFI v2.00. The only runtime service introduced in EFI v2.00 that we actually use in Linux is QueryVariableInfo(), as the capsule based ones are optional, generally not used at runtime (all the LVFS/fwupd firmware update infrastructure uses helper EFI programs that invoke capsule update at boot time, not runtime), and not implemented by Apple machines in the first place. QueryVariableInfo() is used to 'safely' set variables, i.e., only when there is enough space. This prevents machines with buggy firmwares from corrupting their NVRAMs when they run out of space. Given that Apple machines have been using EFI v1.10 services only for the longest time (the EFI v2.0 spec was released in 2006, and Linux support for the newly introduced runtime services was added in 2011, but the MacbookPro12,1 released in 2015 still claims to be EFI v1.10 only), let's avoid the EFI v2.0 ones on all Apple x86 machines. [0] https://lore.kernel.org/all/6D757C75-65B1-468B-842D-10410081A8E4@live.com/
- Published
- Jun 20, 2024
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 12th percentile
- CWE
- —
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux kernel | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- linux linux kernelbefore 5.10.96
- linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.19
- linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 5.16.5
- linux linux kernel5.17
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Linux Linux
- 13fcf5d1c5fe491aeb0b0f34a46d88134432edb1, 0c9673834740afdfa7c172b1b19c6b3ec5bc3907, 8e221a3c057d674e3c1cc4d1d8fe65ac4697104b, b3ab8b31e8b3c1ff4971bd52d0c8ebde5cfbdb97, 3.7affected
- d6cf86d8f23253225fe2a763d627ecf7dfee9dae and later · before b0f1cc093bc2493ac259c53766fd2b800e085807affected · git
- d6cf86d8f23253225fe2a763d627ecf7dfee9dae and later · before 3df52448978802ae15dcebf66beba1029df957b4affected · git
- d6cf86d8f23253225fe2a763d627ecf7dfee9dae and later · before a4085859411c825c321c9b55b8a9dc5a128a6684affected · git
- d6cf86d8f23253225fe2a763d627ecf7dfee9dae and later · before f5390cd0b43c2e54c7cf5506c7da4a37c5cef746affected · git
- 3.2.32 and later · before 3.3affected · semver
- 3.4.14 and later · before 3.5affected · semver
- 3.5.7 and later · before 3.6affected · semver
- 3.6.2 and later · before 3.7affected · semver
- before 3.7not affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | before 5.16.7-1 | 5.16.7-1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP5 | kernel-default | before 4.12.14-122.228.1 | 4.12.14-122.228.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_60 | before 1-8.3.1 | 1-8.3.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | kernel-rt | before 4.12.14-10.200.1 | 4.12.14-10.200.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | kernel-rt_debug | before 4.12.14-10.200.1 | 4.12.14-10.200.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | kernel-source-rt | before 4.12.14-10.200.1 | 4.12.14-10.200.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | kernel-syms-rt | before 4.12.14-10.200.1 | 4.12.14-10.200.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | kernel-azure | before 4.12.14-16.197.1 | 4.12.14-16.197.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | kernel-source | before 4.12.14-122.228.1 | 4.12.14-122.228.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | kernel-source-azure | before 4.12.14-16.197.1 | 4.12.14-16.197.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | kernel-syms | before 4.12.14-122.228.1 | 4.12.14-122.228.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | kernel-syms-azure | before 4.12.14-16.197.1 | 4.12.14-16.197.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | kernel-docs | before 4.12.14-122.228.2 | 4.12.14-122.228.2 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | kernel-obs-build | before 4.12.14-122.228.2 | 4.12.14-122.228.2 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
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- CVE-2016-5195Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect haKEV83Now
- CVE-2019-13272In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to creKEV77This week
- CVE-2013-6282The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the v6k and v7 ARM platforms do not validate certain addKEV77This week
- CVE-2013-2094The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9 uses an incorrect integer data type, which allows loKEV77This week
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | 3.3 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 3.5 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 3.6 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 3.7 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 3df52448978802ae15dcebf66beba1029df957b4 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a4085859411c825c321c9b55b8a9dc5a128a6684 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | b0f1cc093bc2493ac259c53766fd2b800e085807 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | f5390cd0b43c2e54c7cf5506c7da4a37c5cef746 | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:linux | 5.16.7-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-azure | 4.12.14-16.197.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-default | 4.12.14-122.228.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-docs | 4.12.14-122.228.2 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-obs-build | 4.12.14-122.228.2 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-rt | 4.12.14-10.200.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-rt_debug | 4.12.14-10.200.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-source | 4.12.14-122.228.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-source-azure | 4.12.14-16.197.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-source-rt | 4.12.14-10.200.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-syms | 4.12.14-122.228.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-syms-rt | 4.12.14-10.200.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_60 | 1-8.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (3 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.