CVE-2020-8718
📋 TL;DR
A buffer overflow vulnerability in Intel Server Boards, Server Systems, and Compute Modules allows authenticated local users to potentially escalate privileges. This affects systems running firmware versions before 1.59. Attackers with local access could gain higher privileges on affected hardware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel Server Boards
- Intel Server Systems
- Intel Compute Modules
📦 What is this software?
Compute Module Hns2600bp Firmware by Intel
Compute Module Hns2600kp Firmware by Intel
Compute Module Hns2600tp Firmware by Intel
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An authenticated attacker gains full administrative control of the server hardware, potentially compromising the entire system and accessing sensitive data.
Likely Case
An authenticated user with malicious intent escalates privileges to perform unauthorized actions or access restricted system components.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls limiting local authentication, the attack surface is reduced, though the vulnerability remains present in firmware.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access to the vulnerable subsystem, making it less accessible to remote attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 1.59 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00384.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download firmware update 1.59 or later from Intel's support site. 2. Follow Intel's firmware update procedures for your specific hardware model. 3. Reboot the system after applying the update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Local Access
allLimit physical and logical access to server hardware management interfaces to trusted administrators only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who can authenticate to the server hardware management interface.
- Monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts and review access logs regularly.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the firmware version in the server's BIOS/UEFI or management console. If version is below 1.59, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Varies by hardware model - typically accessible via BIOS/UEFI setup or management software like Intel Server Management.Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm firmware version is 1.59 or higher in the hardware management interface after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual authentication attempts to hardware management interfaces
- Privilege escalation events in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected connections to hardware management ports (e.g., IPMI, BMC)
SIEM Query:
Search for authentication events to hardware management interfaces followed by privilege changes.