CVE-2020-8672 – This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read in ... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2020-8672?

CVE-2020-8672 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read in BIOS firmware affecting specific Intel processors. It allows an unauthenticated attacker with local access to potentially enable privilege escalation or cause denial of service. Affected systems include 8th/9th Generation Intel Core processors and Celeron 4000 series processors.

📋 TL;DR

This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read in BIOS firmware affecting specific Intel processors. It allows an unauthenticated attacker with local access to potentially enable privilege escalation or cause denial of service. Affected systems include 8th/9th Generation Intel Core processors and Celeron 4000 series processors.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

8th Generation Intel Core processors
9th Generation Intel Core processors
Intel Celeron Processor 4000 Series

Versions: All BIOS versions prior to vendor patches

Operating Systems: All operating systems running on affected hardware

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Vulnerability exists at BIOS/firmware level, independent of operating system. Affects systems with the specific Intel processors regardless of OS configuration.

📦 What is this software?

Bios by Intel

View all CVEs affecting Bios →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

An attacker gains elevated privileges on the system, potentially compromising the entire system and accessing sensitive data or installing persistent malware.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability or denial of service through BIOS corruption, requiring physical intervention to restore functionality.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact due to BIOS-level protections and physical access requirements, with potential for system instability only.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local physical or administrative access to exploit, not remotely exploitable.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Requires local access but could be exploited by malicious insiders or through compromised local accounts.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: HIGH

Exploitation requires detailed knowledge of BIOS internals and physical/local access to the system. No public exploits have been documented.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: BIOS updates from system manufacturers (OEM-specific)

Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00356.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Identify your system manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) 2. Visit manufacturer's support site 3. Download latest BIOS/UEFI firmware update for your specific model 4. Follow manufacturer's instructions to apply BIOS update 5. Reboot system as required

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Physical Access Controls

all

Restrict physical access to vulnerable systems to prevent local exploitation

BIOS Password Protection

all

Enable BIOS/UEFI password to prevent unauthorized BIOS modifications

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access
Isolate affected systems from critical networks and sensitive data

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check system BIOS version against manufacturer's patched version list. Use system information tools (dmidecode on Linux, msinfo32 on Windows) to identify processor generation.

Check Version:

Linux: sudo dmidecode -t bios | grep Version; Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify BIOS version has been updated to manufacturer's recommended patched version using system BIOS/UEFI interface or OS system information tools.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

BIOS/UEFI firmware modification events
System boot failures or instability
Unexpected system resets

Network Indicators:

No network indicators - local access vulnerability

SIEM Query:

Search for BIOS/UEFI firmware update events or system boot anomalies in system logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2020-8672

CVSS v3 Score: 7.8 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-125

Published: February 2, 2021

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00356.html Vendor Advisory
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00356.html Vendor Advisory

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