CVE-2022-37018 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the system BIOS of certain HP PC products. The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a critical firmware component responsible for initializing hardware during the boot process and providing runtime services for operating systems and programs. This vulnerability allows for potential privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution at the BIOS level. Given the BIOS operates below the operating system, exploitation could grant attackers persistent, low-level control over the affected system, bypassing most traditional security controls. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.4 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-276, which relates to improper privilege management, indicating that the BIOS does not adequately restrict access to sensitive functions or code execution paths. HP has acknowledged the issue and is releasing firmware updates to mitigate the vulnerability. However, specific affected versions are detailed in HP’s security bulletin, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild to date. The lack of required user interaction and privileges for exploitation increases the risk, especially in environments where local access can be obtained, such as shared workstations or via other compromised accounts. Because the BIOS is foundational to system security, successful exploitation could lead to persistent malware implants, rootkits, or complete system compromise that survives OS reinstallation or disk replacement.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, particularly in sectors relying heavily on HP PCs, such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of business operations, and long-term persistence of attackers within networks. The ability to execute code at the BIOS level undermines endpoint security solutions and complicates incident response and remediation efforts. Organizations with shared or multi-user environments are especially vulnerable since the attack vector requires local access but no privileges or user interaction. This could facilitate insider threats or lateral movement after initial compromise. The potential for integrity and availability impacts means that critical systems could be manipulated or rendered inoperable, affecting service continuity. Additionally, the persistence capabilities of BIOS-level malware could allow attackers to maintain footholds despite conventional security measures, increasing the risk of espionage or sabotage. Given the high CVSS score and the critical role of BIOS firmware, the threat is substantial and warrants immediate attention.

1. Immediate deployment of HP’s official firmware updates as soon as they become available is critical. Organizations should prioritize patching HP PCs identified as affected by consulting HP’s security bulletin. 2. Implement strict physical security controls to limit local access to HP PCs, including secure facilities, locked workstations, and controlled access to hardware. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for unusual BIOS or firmware modifications, although detection at this level is challenging. 4. Use hardware-based security features such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and Secure Boot to help detect and prevent unauthorized BIOS changes. 5. Conduct regular integrity checks of BIOS firmware using vendor-provided tools or third-party solutions to identify unauthorized modifications. 6. Enforce least privilege policies and strong authentication mechanisms to reduce the risk of initial local access by unauthorized users. 7. Educate IT staff and users about the risks of BIOS-level attacks and the importance of reporting suspicious behavior or anomalies. 8. Maintain comprehensive asset inventories to quickly identify and remediate affected HP PC models. 9. Consider network segmentation to limit the spread of potential compromises originating from affected endpoints. 10. Monitor threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploit activity related to CVE-2022-37018 to adjust defenses accordingly.