CVE-2025-7029 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-822 (Uncontrolled Pointer Dereference) affecting the Software System Management Interrupt (SwSmi) handler in GIGABYTE's UEFI-OverClockSmiHandler firmware version 1.0.0. Specifically, the vulnerability arises in the handling of the SwSmiInputValue 0xB2, where a local attacker with high privileges can control the RBX register. This register is used to derive pointers to critical buffers (OcHeader, OcData) involved in power and thermal configuration logic. These buffers, sourced from NVRAM (OcSetup), are not properly validated before multiple structured memory writes occur. This lack of validation allows the attacker to corrupt SMRAM arbitrarily, which is a highly privileged memory region used by the System Management Mode (SMM) of the CPU. Since SMM operates at a higher privilege level than the OS kernel, successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code with SMM privileges. The vulnerability requires local access and elevated privileges but does not require user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.2, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity but requiring high privileges. No public exploits or patches are currently available, increasing the urgency for affected organizations to monitor and prepare mitigations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for attackers to gain SMM-level privileges, which can bypass most security controls and compromise the entire system firmware and OS. This could lead to persistent malware infections, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical services. Industries such as finance, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on GIGABYTE hardware with the affected firmware are particularly vulnerable. The ability to corrupt SMRAM can undermine trusted computing bases and firmware integrity, impacting confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data and system operations. Given the local access requirement, insider threats or attackers who have already gained initial footholds could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and move laterally within networks. The lack of patches and known exploits means organizations must proactively manage risk to prevent potential future exploitation.

1. Restrict and monitor local administrative access to systems running affected GIGABYTE firmware to prevent unauthorized users from exploiting the vulnerability. 2. Implement strict access controls and auditing on systems with the vulnerable firmware to detect unusual SMM or firmware-related activity. 3. Employ hardware-based security features such as Intel TXT or AMD SME where available to protect SMRAM and firmware integrity. 4. Maintain up-to-date inventory of hardware and firmware versions to quickly identify affected devices. 5. Coordinate with GIGABYTE for timely firmware updates or patches and plan for rapid deployment once available. 6. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of monitoring low-level system behavior to detect potential exploitation attempts. 7. Consider network segmentation to limit the impact of compromised systems. 8. Educate privileged users about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and enforce least privilege principles.