CVE-2017-3753 in Product
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in some Lenovo products that use UEFI (BIOS) code developed by American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI). With this vulnerability, conditions exist where an attacker with administrative privileges or physical access to a system may be able to run specially crafted code that can allow them to bypass system protections such as Device Guard and Hyper-V.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
This vulnerability resides within the UEFI firmware implementation of certain Lenovo devices, specifically those utilizing code developed by American Megatrends Inc. The flaw exists at the firmware level where proper validation mechanisms fail to adequately protect against malicious code execution. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 which addresses improper access control within firmware implementations, representing a critical weakness in the system's foundational security architecture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires either administrative privileges or physical access to the target system, establishing a baseline attack vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for local privilege escalation. Once exploited, the malicious code can bypass critical system protections including Device Guard and Hyper-V hypervisor security features. This represents a sophisticated attack surface that undermines the layered security model typically employed by modern operating systems. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code at a privilege level that normally would be restricted, effectively circumventing hardware-based security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to undermine fundamental security mechanisms designed to protect against malicious software execution. Device Guard, which prevents unauthorized code from running on Windows systems, becomes ineffective against an attacker who can leverage this flaw. Similarly, Hyper-V security protections that isolate virtualized environments are compromised, potentially allowing attackers to escape virtual machines and access underlying host systems. This vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor that bypasses multiple security controls, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited for advanced persistent threats or lateral movement within networks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on firmware updates provided by Lenovo and AMI, as these patches address the underlying validation flaws in the UEFI implementation. Organizations should implement strict physical security controls to limit access to systems where this vulnerability exists. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous code execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of firmware security and the need for comprehensive security testing at all system levels. Regular firmware audits and supply chain security assessments become critical components of overall cybersecurity posture. This vulnerability also underscores the necessity of implementing robust access control measures and maintaining up-to-date security configurations across all system components.