CVE-2022-23005: Western Digital has identified a weakness in the UFS standard that could result in a security vulnerability. This vulnerability may exist in some syst...

Description

Western Digital has identified a weakness in the UFS standard that could result in a security vulnerability. This vulnerability may exist in some systems where the Host boot ROM code implements the UFS Boot feature to boot from UFS compliant storage devices. The UFS Boot feature, as specified in the UFS standard, is provided by UFS devices to support platforms that need to download the system boot loader from external non-volatile storage locations. Several scenarios have been identified in which adversaries may disable the boot capability, or revert to an old boot loader code, if the host boot ROM code is improperly implemented. UFS Host Boot ROM implementers may be impacted by this vulnerability. UFS devices are only impacted when connected to a vulnerable UFS Host and are not independently impacted by this vulnerability. When present, the vulnerability is in the UFS Host implementation and is not a vulnerability in Western Digital UFS Devices. Western Digital has provided details of the vulnerability to the JEDEC standards body, multiple vendors of host processors, and software solutions providers.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.7/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.82%

52.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Jedec	Universal Flash Storage	All versions

References

https://documents.westerndigital.com/content/dam/doc-library/en_us/assets/public/western-digital/collateral/white-paper/white-paper-host-boot-rom-code-vulnerability-and-mitigation.pdfExploit, Technical Description, Vendor Advisory
https://www.westerndigital.com/support/product-security/wdc-23001-host-boot-rom-code-vulnerability-in-systems-implementing-ufs-boot-featureVendor Advisory
https://documents.westerndigital.com/content/dam/doc-library/en_us/assets/public/western-digital/collateral/white-paper/white-paper-host-boot-rom-code-vulnerability-and-mitigation.pdfExploit, Technical Description, Vendor Advisory
https://www.westerndigital.com/support/product-security/wdc-23001-host-boot-rom-code-vulnerability-in-systems-implementing-ufs-boot-featureVendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 23, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-23005?

Western Digital has identified a weakness in the UFS standard that could result in a security vulnerability. This vulnerability may exist in some systems where the Host boot ROM code implements the UFS Boot feature to boot from UFS compliant storage devices. The UFS Boot feature, as specified in the UFS standard, is provided by UFS devices to support platforms that need to download the system boot loader from external non-volatile storage locations. Several scenarios have been identified in which adversaries may disable the boot capability, or revert to an old boot loader code, if the host boot ROM code is improperly implemented. UFS Host Boot ROM implementers may be impacted by this vulnerability. UFS devices are only impacted when connected to a vulnerable UFS Host and are not independently impacted by this vulnerability. When present, the vulnerability is in the UFS Host implementation and is not a vulnerability in Western Digital UFS Devices. Western Digital has provided details of the vulnerability to the JEDEC standards body, multiple vendors of host processors, and software solutions providers.

How severe is CVE-2022-23005?

CVE-2022-23005 has a CVSS score of 8.7/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.82% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-23005?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.