CVE-2019-0098 in CSME
Summary
by MITRE
Logic bug vulnerability in subsystem for Intel(R) CSME before version 12.0.35, Intel(R) TXE before 3.1.65, 4.0.15 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via physical access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical logic flaw within Intel's Converged Security and Management Engine subsystems affecting multiple generations of firmware components. The issue resides in the authentication and privilege handling mechanisms that govern access to sensitive system functions. The vulnerability specifically impacts Intel CSME versions prior to 12.0.35 and Intel TXE versions 3.1.65 and 4.0.15, creating a persistent security gap that can be exploited by attackers with physical access to affected systems. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of access controls and privilege levels within the firmware runtime environment, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal security boundaries through carefully crafted sequences of operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a fundamental flaw in the firmware's privilege escalation logic where the system fails to properly verify the authenticity and authorization status of entities attempting to perform elevated operations. This represents a classic CWE-284 access control vulnerability where insufficient checks allow unauthorized access to privileged functions. The attack vector requires physical access to the target system, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1018 for Valid Accounts and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the attacker would need to establish a foothold through physical presence before executing malicious payloads. The vulnerability enables an unauthenticated user to potentially escalate privileges from standard user level to administrative or firmware-level access, creating a persistent backdoor that can be leveraged for further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate privilege escalation capabilities to encompass long-term system compromise and data exfiltration risks. Once exploited, the attacker can modify firmware components, install persistent backdoors, or extract sensitive cryptographic keys and system credentials. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Intel-based systems including enterprise servers, desktop computers, and mobile devices that utilize Intel's management engine technology. Organizations with legacy systems running affected firmware versions face significant exposure, particularly those with poor physical security controls or inadequate inventory management of firmware components. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple firmware generations indicates a systemic issue in Intel's security architecture that requires comprehensive remediation through firmware updates and potentially hardware replacement in extreme cases.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate firmware patching requirements and broader operational security improvements. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Intel CSME and TXE components to versions 12.0.35 and 3.1.65/4.0.15 respectively, while also implementing enhanced physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access to critical systems. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual firmware access patterns or unauthorized system modifications. The vulnerability highlights the importance of firmware integrity verification and secure boot processes, with recommendations to implement hardware-based security features such as Intel's Platform Trust Technology or similar TPM-based solutions. Regular security assessments should include firmware vulnerability scanning and physical access control reviews to prevent exploitation of similar logic flaws in other system components. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical security implications of firmware-level attacks and the necessity for comprehensive security approaches that consider both software and hardware attack surfaces.