CVE-2017-5708 in Manageability Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple privilege escalations in kernel in Intel Manageability Engine Firmware 11.0/11.5/11.6/11.7/11.10/11.20 allow unauthorized process to access privileged content via unspecified vector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5708 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Intel Manageability Engine firmware across multiple versions including 11.0, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.10, and 11.20. This vulnerability resides within the kernel-level components of Intel's management engine architecture, which operates as a separate computing environment within Intel processors to provide remote management capabilities. The affected firmware versions expose a weakness that allows unauthorized processes to gain elevated privileges and access sensitive content that should be restricted to privileged users. This issue fundamentally undermines the security boundaries that separate normal operating system processes from the privileged management engine environment, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to escalate their access privileges beyond normal system limitations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and privilege validation mechanisms within the kernel code of the Intel Manageability Engine firmware. The unspecified vector suggests that the flaw may be present in multiple attack surfaces including but not limited to memory access violations, improper input validation, or flawed authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability allows an attacker with minimal privileges to execute code with elevated privileges, effectively bypassing the standard operating system security model that normally separates user processes from kernel-level operations. This type of flaw directly relates to CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges and access control issues, and represents a classic example of a privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited to gain unauthorized system access. The underlying architecture of the Intel Manageability Engine creates a persistent threat surface since it operates independently of the main operating system and maintains its own security context.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5708 is severe and far-reaching across enterprise environments that utilize Intel processors with manageability features enabled. Organizations may experience complete system compromise when this vulnerability is exploited, as attackers can gain access to sensitive system information, modify critical system components, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the managed infrastructure. The vulnerability affects systems where Intel Active Management Technology or similar management features are enabled, potentially impacting thousands of enterprise devices including servers, workstations, and mobile devices. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform operations that would normally require administrative privileges, including accessing encrypted data, modifying system configurations, and potentially installing malware that persists across system reboots. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves privilege escalation through exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and T1543, which covers creating or modifying system level processes to maintain persistence.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5708 require immediate action from system administrators and security teams to address the underlying firmware vulnerability. The most effective approach involves applying the latest firmware updates from Intel that contain patches for the identified privilege escalation flaws. Organizations should also consider disabling Intel Active Management Technology or similar management features if they are not actively required, as this effectively removes the attack surface entirely. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege management policies can help limit the impact if exploitation occurs, though the fundamental vulnerability requires firmware-level patching to provide complete protection. System administrators should also monitor for any signs of unauthorized access or suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of firmware security and the need for comprehensive security measures that extend beyond traditional operating system protections to include the underlying hardware management subsystems that provide persistent access to system resources.