A research project demonstrating a novel attack vector against x86 System Management Mode (SMM) by exploiting the behavior of very long interrupts. The technique leverages the fact that SMI handlers can be interrupted, allowing an attacker to gain control within the SMM context—a previously underexplored attack surface.
Background
System Management Mode (SMM) is a privileged CPU operating mode on x86 processors used for handling system-level tasks like power management. It operates at a higher privilege level than the OS and is traditionally considered a trusted execution environment, making SMM attacks particularly dangerous.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- Aug 11, 2026 at 12:03 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10