CVE-2021-38489
UEFI stores HDD passwords in plaintext allowing local extraction.
Is CVE-2021-38489 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2021-38489 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.12% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2021-38489?
CVE-2021-38489 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.2. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2021-38489?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2021-38489. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2021-38489 affect?
CVE-2021-38489 affects UEFI firmware (e.g., Insyde-based systems), HDD/SSD firmware password feature, OEM laptops/desktops. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2021-38489?
Apply vendor UEFI firmware updates; clear/rotate HDD passwords; restrict firmware access.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Local or physical attackers can read HDD passwords from a UEFI variable, unlock drives, bypass protections and steal data.
Patch when possible
- affectedSee in the Solution
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.