CVE-2017-5703 in Intel
Summary
by MITRE
Configuration of SPI Flash in platforms based on multiple Intel platforms allow a local attacker to alter the behavior of the SPI flash potentially leading to a Denial of Service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5703 resides within the configuration of SPI flash memory systems on various Intel-based platforms, representing a significant security concern for embedded and IoT devices. This issue stems from improper handling of SPI flash configuration parameters that can be manipulated by local attackers with physical access or system privileges. The vulnerability affects multiple Intel platform architectures and demonstrates the critical nature of secure hardware configuration management in modern computing environments where SPI flash serves as a primary storage medium for firmware and boot code.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate validation and protection mechanisms within the SPI flash configuration process, allowing unauthorized modifications to flash memory settings that control read, write, and erase operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to alter the behavior of the SPI flash controller, potentially causing system instability or complete system failure. The vulnerability specifically targets the configuration registers and control mechanisms that govern SPI flash operations, which are typically accessed during system boot processes or through direct hardware interfaces. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate flash memory characteristics such as sector sizes, access modes, or protection settings, fundamentally altering how the flash memory operates within the platform.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk of denial of service conditions that can render affected systems inoperable or significantly degraded. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as malicious modifications to SPI flash configuration can compromise the integrity of the boot process, potentially allowing attackers to persistently modify system firmware or prevent legitimate firmware updates. Local attackers with access to the system can exploit this vulnerability to cause permanent system failures or create conditions where the system becomes unresponsive to normal operations. The attack surface is particularly concerning for embedded systems and IoT devices where physical access is often possible and where system recovery mechanisms may be limited or unavailable.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and demonstrates how improper configuration of hardware components can create security weaknesses that bypass traditional software security controls. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through hardware manipulation, as attackers can modify system firmware to maintain access or cause ongoing disruption. Organizations should implement comprehensive firmware security measures including secure boot implementations, hardware-based integrity checking, and proper access controls for SPI flash configuration interfaces. Mitigation strategies include firmware updates from Intel that address the configuration validation issues, implementation of hardware security modules to protect flash memory access, and regular security assessments of embedded system configurations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the platform ecosystem.