CVE-2017-5694 in PSF104P
Summary
by MITRE
Data corruption vulnerability in firmware in Intel Solid-State Drive Professional PSF104P, PSF109P allows local users to cause a denial of service via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5694 represents a critical data corruption issue affecting Intel Solid-State Drive Professional PSF104P and PSF109P firmware implementations. This flaw manifests as a local privilege escalation vector that enables attackers with physical access or local system privileges to manipulate firmware components in ways that result in system instability and potential denial of service conditions. The vulnerability resides within the firmware layer of these enterprise-grade storage devices, making it particularly concerning for mission-critical infrastructure deployments where uninterrupted operation is essential.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the firmware's data processing routines. When specific sequences of data operations are executed against the affected drives, the firmware fails to properly validate or sanitize incoming data streams, leading to memory corruption and subsequent system instability. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local access to the system, but given the nature of enterprise storage environments, this access can often be achieved through legitimate administrative privileges or by compromising system accounts.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5694 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as data corruption can lead to complete system failure and potential data loss in environments where these drives serve as primary storage solutions. Enterprise systems relying on these drives for critical operations face significant risk of service interruption, particularly during maintenance windows or when unexpected system behavior occurs. The vulnerability's local nature means that attackers do not require network connectivity to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical security measures may be insufficient. Organizations utilizing these drives in cloud infrastructure or data center environments experience heightened risk due to the potential for cascading failures that could affect multiple systems simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on firmware updates provided by Intel, which address the underlying validation and error handling deficiencies. System administrators must implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of firmware updates across all affected devices. Additionally, implementing robust access controls and monitoring mechanisms can help detect unauthorized access attempts that might precede exploitation. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, and T1490, which addresses energy manipulation and system disruption. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant storage solutions and regular data backups to minimize the impact of potential exploitation events. Physical security measures, including restricted access to server rooms and proper authentication controls, become critical components of overall defense strategy given the local access requirements for exploitation.