CVE-2018-6239 in Jetson TX2
Summary
by MITRE
NVIDIA Jetson TX2 contains a vulnerability by means of speculative execution where local and unprivileged code may access the contents of cached information in an unauthorized manner, which may lead to information disclosure. The updates apply to all versions prior to and including R28.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6239 affects NVIDIA Jetson TX2 development platforms and represents a sophisticated side-channel attack leveraging speculative execution mechanisms. This flaw exists within the processor's microarchitecture where unauthorized access to cached data becomes possible through improper handling of speculative execution paths. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems running versions prior to and including R28.3, making a substantial portion of deployed Jetson TX2 platforms susceptible to information disclosure attacks.
This security weakness operates through the exploitation of speculative execution vulnerabilities that fall under the broader category of microarchitectural side-channel attacks. The flaw allows local and unprivileged code to potentially access cached information that should remain protected, creating an unauthorized data disclosure scenario. The vulnerability stems from inadequate memory access controls during speculative execution phases where the processor may cache sensitive information in a manner that violates normal access controls and memory protection boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6239 extends beyond simple information disclosure as it represents a fundamental flaw in how the processor handles memory caching during speculative operations. Attackers with local access can potentially extract sensitive data that was cached in processor memory, including cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other confidential information. This vulnerability particularly affects embedded systems and edge computing platforms where the Jetson TX2 is commonly deployed, including robotics applications, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation systems where unauthorized access to cached data could compromise entire operational environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with common patterns found in speculative execution attacks such as those categorized under CWE-119 and CWE-121, which address memory access violations and buffer overflows that can be exploited through microarchitectural mechanisms. This flaw operates in the realm of the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where local code execution can be leveraged to exploit the underlying speculative execution vulnerability. The affected systems require firmware updates to address the issue, with the patch being applicable to all versions through R28.3, indicating that the vulnerability was present across multiple generations of the platform's software stack.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6239 primarily involve applying the official NVIDIA firmware updates that address the speculative execution flaw in the processor's microarchitecture. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected Jetson TX2 platforms to versions beyond R28.3 to ensure proper memory access controls during speculative execution phases. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can limit the potential impact of local exploitation attempts, while monitoring for unusual memory access patterns may help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider the broader implications of speculative execution vulnerabilities and implement comprehensive security measures that address similar microarchitectural flaws across their entire computing infrastructure.