CVE-2017-6283 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
"NVIDIA Security Engine contains a vulnerability in the RSA function where the keyslot read/write lock permissions are cleared on a chip reset which may lead to information disclosure. This issue is rated as high."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2020
The NVIDIA Security Engine vulnerability described in CVE-2017-6283 represents a critical flaw in the cryptographic subsystem of NVIDIA's hardware security modules. This vulnerability specifically targets the RSA function implementation within the Security Engine, which serves as a dedicated cryptographic processor for handling sensitive operations including key management, encryption, and digital signatures. The issue arises from improper handling of keyslot permissions during system reset operations, creating a window of opportunity for unauthorized access to protected cryptographic material.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the clearing of keyslot read/write lock permissions during chip reset events. When a system undergoes reset operations, the Security Engine's memory management mechanisms fail to maintain proper access controls for cryptographic keys stored in designated keyslots. This behavior violates fundamental security principles governing cryptographic key management and creates a scenario where concurrent processes or malicious actors could potentially access or modify keys that should remain protected. The vulnerability manifests as a race condition between the reset operation and legitimate key access operations, allowing for unauthorized data exposure.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems relying on NVIDIA Security Engine for cryptographic operations, particularly in enterprise environments where sensitive data protection is paramount. The information disclosure potential could lead to compromise of encryption keys, digital certificates, and other cryptographic material stored within the security engine. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to protected data, potentially leading to broader system compromise through key theft that enables decryption of sensitive communications or impersonation attacks. The high rating reflects the severity of potential impact on cryptographic security and data confidentiality.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which addresses race conditions in concurrent programming, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control mechanisms. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001, focusing on unsecured credentials and credential access through improper privilege management. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from NVIDIA, enhanced monitoring of security engine operations, and review of cryptographic key management procedures. System administrators should consider implementing additional access controls and logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts, while security teams should conduct thorough assessments of cryptographic dependencies and establish incident response procedures for potential key compromise scenarios.