CVE-2016-8100 in Integrated Performance Primitives
Summary
by MITRE
Intel Integrated Performance Primitives (aka IPP) Cryptography before 9.0.4 makes it easier for local users to discover RSA private keys via a side-channel attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8100 resides within Intel Integrated Performance Primitives Cryptography library versions prior to 9.0.4, representing a significant security flaw that exposes systems to sophisticated side-channel attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the implementation of RSA cryptographic operations within Intel's IPP cryptography modules, creating a pathway for local adversaries to potentially extract sensitive private key information through careful analysis of timing or power consumption patterns.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient protection mechanisms within the cryptographic implementation that fail to adequately mask the computational operations performed during RSA key generation and encryption processes. Attackers can exploit this weakness by monitoring subtle variations in execution time or power consumption that correlate with specific mathematical operations within the RSA algorithm. The flaw essentially allows for the collection of side-channel information that can be statistically analyzed to reconstruct the private RSA key components, particularly the modulus and private exponent values. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of timing side-channel attacks as defined by the CWE-386 standard, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through timing variations in cryptographic implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as RSA private keys are fundamental to secure communications and digital signatures within numerous systems. When compromised, these keys can enable attackers to decrypt sensitive communications, forge digital signatures, and impersonate legitimate entities within the affected network infrastructure. The local user requirement for exploitation does not diminish the severity, as local access often represents a foothold that can be leveraged for further compromise within network environments. Organizations relying on Intel IPP cryptography for SSL/TLS implementations, code signing, or secure communications protocols face significant risk from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where local privilege escalation or insider threats may exist.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8100 primarily focus on updating to Intel IPP Cryptography version 9.0.4 or later, which includes proper countermeasures against side-channel attacks. System administrators should prioritize patching across all affected systems, particularly those handling sensitive cryptographic operations or serving as infrastructure components in secure communication frameworks. Additional protective measures include implementing proper access controls to limit local user privileges, monitoring for unusual system behavior that might indicate side-channel analysis attempts, and considering the deployment of hardware security modules or trusted platform modules that provide additional cryptographic protection layers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to credential access and defense evasion, as attackers may use the compromised keys to establish persistent access or to bypass security controls that depend on RSA-based authentication mechanisms. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify all systems utilizing affected IPP cryptography libraries and implement appropriate monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.