CVE-2019-0164 in Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Driver
Summary
by MITRE
Improper permissions in the installer for Intel(R) Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 driver version 1.0.0.1035 and before may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0164 affects Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 driver installations where improper file permissions are configured during the setup process. This flaw exists in driver versions 1.0.0.1035 and earlier, creating a security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated local users to gain elevated privileges on affected systems. The issue stems from inadequate permission controls that allow unauthorized modification of critical system components during the installation phase.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the installer's failure to properly configure access controls for installed files and registry entries. When the Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 driver is installed, certain components are created with overly permissive access rights that permit any authenticated user to modify or replace critical system binaries. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability where a user with standard account privileges can manipulate system files to execute code with elevated permissions. The flaw aligns with CWE-276 which describes improper file permissions and access controls, specifically targeting the principle of least privilege in system security design.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to enterprise environments where multiple users may have authenticated access to systems running affected Intel drivers. An attacker with a valid user account could potentially exploit this weakness to elevate their privileges from standard user to administrator level, thereby gaining complete control over the affected system. The local access requirement means that physical or network-based access to the target system is necessary, but once achieved, the privilege escalation can be used to establish persistent access, escalate further to other systems, or extract sensitive data from the compromised machine.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides a potential foothold for broader attacks within a network environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent backdoors, deploy additional malware, or move laterally across the network using elevated privileges. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise desktop and laptop systems running Intel processors with Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 functionality, making it relevant to organizations that utilize Intel's performance optimization features. The risk is heightened in environments where users have legitimate access to systems but may not require administrative privileges, as the vulnerability allows them to bypass normal security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0164 primarily focus on updating to the patched driver versions released by Intel. Organizations should immediately deploy the latest Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 driver releases that address the improper permission issues in the installer. System administrators should also conduct thorough inventory checks to identify all affected systems and implement mandatory driver updates as part of their regular maintenance procedures. Additionally, implementing proper access control measures such as least privilege principles and regular security audits can help reduce the overall risk exposure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage software flaws to gain elevated system privileges, making it important for security teams to monitor for exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive system monitoring capabilities to detect unauthorized privilege changes.