CVE-2020-0590
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an improper input validation vulnerability in BIOS firmware for certain Intel processors. It allows an authenticated local attacker to potentially escalate privileges on affected systems. The vulnerability affects systems with specific Intel processors and vulnerable BIOS/UEFI firmware versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel processors with vulnerable BIOS/UEFI firmware
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An authenticated attacker could gain kernel-level or higher privileges, potentially taking full control of the system, accessing sensitive data, or installing persistent malware.
Likely Case
An authenticated user with local access could elevate privileges to administrator/root level, bypassing security controls and accessing restricted resources.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, impact is limited to authorized users who would need to bypass additional security layers to exploit the vulnerability.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires authenticated local access and knowledge of BIOS/UEFI exploitation techniques. No public exploit code available at time of advisory.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: BIOS/UEFI firmware updates from system manufacturers
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00358
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check with your system manufacturer for BIOS/UEFI firmware updates. 2. Download the appropriate firmware update for your specific system model. 3. Follow manufacturer's instructions to apply the firmware update. 4. Reboot the system to complete the update process.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict physical and local access
allLimit physical access to systems and implement strict local authentication controls
Implement privilege separation
allUse least privilege principles and separate user accounts from administrative accounts
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who has local authenticated access to affected systems
- Monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts and implement enhanced logging of BIOS/UEFI access attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check BIOS/UEFI firmware version against manufacturer's advisory. Use manufacturer-specific tools or system information commands to identify firmware version.Check Version:
Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion | Linux: sudo dmidecode -s bios-version | macOS: system_profiler SPHardwareDataType | grep "Boot ROM Version"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify BIOS/UEFI firmware version has been updated to a version listed as patched by the manufacturer. Check system logs for successful firmware update completion.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual BIOS/UEFI access attempts
- Failed or successful firmware modification attempts
- Unexpected privilege escalation events
Network Indicators:
- Not applicable - local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
Search for events related to BIOS/UEFI firmware updates, privilege escalation, or unauthorized local access attempts🔗 References
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-678983.pdf
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20201113-0001/
- https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00358
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-678983.pdf
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20201113-0001/
- https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00358
