CVE-2023-22442 – An out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Intel S... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-22442?

CVE-2023-22442 has a CVSS score of 7.9 (HIGH). An out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Intel Server Board BMC firmware allows privileged users with local access to escalate privileges. This affects servers with vulnerable Intel BMC firmware versions. Attackers could gain higher-level access to the baseboard management controller.

📋 TL;DR

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Intel Server Board BMC firmware allows privileged users with local access to escalate privileges. This affects servers with vulnerable Intel BMC firmware versions. Attackers could gain higher-level access to the baseboard management controller.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Intel Server Board BMC firmware

Versions: Versions before 2.90

Operating Systems: Not OS-dependent - affects BMC firmware

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Affects Intel Server Boards with vulnerable BMC firmware. Requires privileged user access to BMC interface.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete compromise of the BMC, allowing attackers to control server hardware, install persistent malware, or disrupt operations.

🟠

Likely Case

Privileged user gains administrative control over BMC, enabling unauthorized configuration changes or monitoring.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact with proper access controls and network segmentation in place.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW (requires local access to BMC interface)

🏢 Internal Only: HIGH (privileged users on internal networks can exploit)

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires privileged user access and knowledge of the vulnerability. No public exploit code available.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Version 2.90 or later

Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00839.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Download BMC firmware update from Intel support site. 2. Follow Intel's BMC firmware update procedure for your specific server model. 3. Apply the update through BMC web interface or management tools. 4. Reboot the BMC controller.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict BMC Access

all

Limit access to BMC interfaces to only authorized administrators

Network Segmentation

all

Isolate BMC management network from general user networks

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict access controls to BMC interfaces
Monitor BMC access logs for suspicious activity

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check BMC firmware version through web interface or IPMI tools. Vulnerable if version < 2.90.

Check Version:

ipmitool mc info | grep 'Firmware Revision' or check BMC web interface

Verify Fix Applied:

Confirm BMC firmware version is 2.90 or higher after update.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual BMC configuration changes
Multiple failed login attempts to BMC
Privilege escalation attempts in BMC logs

Network Indicators:

Unusual traffic to BMC management ports
Multiple connection attempts to BMC interface

SIEM Query:

source="BMC_logs" AND (event_type="privilege_escalation" OR event_type="configuration_change")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-22442

CVSS v3 Score: 7.9 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-787

Published: May 10, 2023

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00839.html Patch,Vendor Advisory
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00839.html Patch,Vendor Advisory

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