CVE-2019-0093 in CSME
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient data sanitization vulnerability in HECI subsystem for Intel(R) CSME before versions 11.8.65, 11.11.65, 11.22.65, 12.0.35 and Intel(R) SPS before version SPS_E3_05.00.04.027.0 may allow a privileged user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0093 represents a critical insufficient data sanitization issue within the Hardware Control Interface (HECI) subsystem of Intel's Converged Security Management Engine (CSME) and Server Platform Services (SPS). This flaw exists in multiple versions of Intel's firmware components, specifically affecting CSME versions prior to 11.8.65, 11.11.65, 11.22.65, and 12.0.35, as well as SPS versions before SPS_E3_05.00.04.027.0. The HECI subsystem serves as a communication interface between the system's hardware and firmware components, making it a critical pathway for system management operations and security functions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the HECI communication protocols. When privileged users interact with the HECI interface, the system fails to properly sanitize data inputs, potentially allowing maliciously crafted data to be processed without sufficient validation checks. This weakness creates an information disclosure attack vector where an authenticated user with local access can exploit the insufficient sanitization to extract sensitive data from the system. The vulnerability operates at the firmware level, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional operating system security controls and access low-level system information that would normally be protected.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0093 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a significant threat to system integrity and confidentiality within enterprise environments. Attackers who can gain local privileged access to a system can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive system information, potentially including cryptographic keys, system configuration details, and other confidential data that could be used for further attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects firmware components that operate at a low level within the system architecture, making detection and mitigation more challenging. The attack surface is broad as the vulnerability impacts multiple generations of Intel CSME and SPS firmware, affecting a wide range of enterprise and server systems that rely on these security components for system management and protection.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2019-0093 requires immediate firmware updates from Intel to address the sanitization deficiencies in the HECI subsystem. Organizations should prioritize updating their CSME and SPS firmware to the latest versions that contain the security patches. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual HECI traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes inadequate input validation, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers may use local access to execute malicious commands through the vulnerable interface. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of privilege escalation through firmware manipulation, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing mission-critical infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls and network segmentation to limit local access privileges and reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.