CVE-2013-3582 in Dell
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Dell BIOS on Dell Latitude D###, E####, XT2, and Z600 devices, and Dell Precision M#### devices, allows local users to bypass intended BIOS signing requirements and install arbitrary BIOS images by leveraging administrative privileges and providing a crafted rbu_packet.pktNum value in conjunction with a crafted rbu_packet.pktSize value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3582 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the BIOS firmware of specific Dell laptop and workstation models including Latitude D###, E####, XT2, and Z600 series devices along with Precision M#### models. This security weakness exists at the firmware level and fundamentally compromises the integrity of the system's boot process by allowing unauthorized modification of the BIOS image. The vulnerability specifically affects devices manufactured with certain BIOS versions that fail to properly validate input parameters during the BIOS update process, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors with administrative access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the BIOS update mechanism, particularly when processing the rbu_packet.pktNum and rbu_packet.pktSize parameters. When these values are manipulated beyond their expected ranges, the firmware fails to validate the input data properly, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite critical BIOS memory regions. This buffer overflow condition occurs during the packet processing phase of the BIOS update protocol, where the system does not adequately verify that the packet number and packet size values fall within acceptable parameter limits. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to craft malicious packet values that cause the BIOS to write data beyond allocated memory buffers, potentially overwriting legitimate BIOS code or data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides a pathway for attackers to bypass the intended security controls that protect BIOS integrity. By leveraging administrative privileges, an attacker can manipulate the BIOS update process to install arbitrary BIOS images without proper digital signatures, effectively circumventing the hardware-level security mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized firmware modifications. This capability represents a significant threat to system security since BIOS-level attacks can persist across operating system reboots and are extremely difficult to detect or remediate. The vulnerability essentially allows for the installation of malicious firmware that could establish persistent backdoors, modify system behavior, or enable other advanced persistent threats that operate below the operating system level.
The attack vector requires local administrative access to the target system, but the implications are severe as it enables attackers to gain deep system control that traditional operating system security measures cannot prevent. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how firmware-level vulnerabilities can be exploited to undermine the fundamental security architecture of computing devices. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving firmware manipulation and privilege escalation, specifically targeting the boot process and system integrity. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of firmware security and highlights how low-level system components can provide attackers with persistent access that bypasses conventional security controls.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates from Dell, proper access controls to prevent unauthorized administrative access, and enhanced monitoring of BIOS update activities. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining updated firmware across all system components and implementing robust security measures at the hardware level. System administrators should also consider implementing BIOS protection mechanisms such as write protection and digital signature verification to prevent unauthorized firmware modifications. Regular security assessments of firmware components and proper incident response procedures for firmware-level attacks should be established to address this class of vulnerabilities effectively.