CVE-2024-38798 is a vulnerability identified in the TianoCore EDK2 BIOS firmware, categorized under CWE-200, which involves the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. The vulnerability allows an attacker with local access and low privileges to potentially disclose sensitive information or escalate privileges within the system. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring the attacker to have physical or logical local access to the affected machine. The attack complexity is high (AC:H), indicating that exploitation is not straightforward and may require specific conditions or expertise. No user interaction is required (UI:N), and the attacker does not need to be authenticated (AT:N), but does require low privileges (PR:L). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality significantly (VC:H), with limited impact on integrity and availability (VI:L, VA:L). The scope is limited (SC:L), affecting only the vulnerable component without broader system impact. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2024 and published in December 2025, with no known exploits in the wild and no patches currently available. EDK2 is an open-source UEFI firmware development environment widely used in modern computing platforms, including servers, desktops, and embedded systems. The vulnerability could allow attackers to extract sensitive BIOS or system information, potentially aiding further attacks or privilege escalation. Given the BIOS-level nature, successful exploitation could undermine system security foundations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality of sensitive information stored or processed at the firmware level. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on hardware using EDK2 firmware may face increased risk of data leakage or unauthorized privilege escalation. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but raises concerns about insider threats or physical security breaches. Exposure of BIOS-level information could facilitate more advanced persistent threats or firmware-level malware infections, complicating detection and remediation. The medium severity suggests a moderate risk, but the foundational role of BIOS firmware means that exploitation could have cascading effects on system trustworthiness and security posture. European entities with stringent data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the implications of potential data exposure and ensure compliance through risk management.

1. Restrict and monitor physical and local access to systems running vulnerable EDK2 firmware to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 2. Implement strict access controls and logging on endpoints to detect and respond to suspicious local activities promptly. 3. Employ hardware-based security features such as TPM and secure boot to limit unauthorized firmware modifications and information disclosure. 4. Maintain up-to-date inventory of hardware and firmware versions to identify affected systems accurately. 5. Engage with hardware vendors and TianoCore project for timely patches or firmware updates once available, and prioritize deployment in critical environments. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on firmware and BIOS security to uncover potential exploitation paths. 7. Educate IT and security staff about the risks of local attacks on firmware and the importance of physical security controls. 8. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring low-level system behaviors indicative of firmware exploitation attempts.