# CVE-2022-34390: Memory corruption in CPG BIOS

> A local attacker can exploit an uninitialized variable in Dell BIOS to execute arbitrary code in SMRAM, requiring a firmware patch.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Oct 2022
- **Updated:** 12 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g9fm-c939-xc3q

## What is CVE-2022-34390?

CVE-2022-34390 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Dell CPG BIOS, published on 12 Oct 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Dell BIOS contains a use of uninitialized variable vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user may potentially exploit this vulnerability by using an SMI to gain arbitrary code execution in SMRAM.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource), CWE-457 (Use of Uninitialized Variable)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-34390?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Dell Alienware Area-51 R4 Firmware, Dell Alienware Area-51 R5 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-34390?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-34390 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-34390 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-34390 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Dell CPG BIOS

- [CVE-2022-34391](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34391/): Code injection in CPG BIOS (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-34390 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-34390 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Dell CPG BIOS, published on 12 Oct 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-34390 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dell CPG BIOS. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34390/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34390/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-34390
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-34390
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-34390

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34390/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.