CVE-2020-0555 in Wireless Bluetooth
Summary
by MITRE
Improper input validation for some Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) products may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0555 affects Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) products and represents a critical security flaw in input validation mechanisms. This weakness resides within the firmware or driver components of Intel's Bluetooth wireless solutions, specifically targeting systems where authenticated users can exploit the vulnerability through local access. The issue stems from insufficient validation of input parameters that are processed by the Bluetooth stack or related wireless components, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to manipulate system operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental weakness in software design where input data is not properly validated before being processed. In the context of Intel's wireless Bluetooth products, this manifests when the system fails to adequately verify the legitimacy of input data sent to Bluetooth-related components. The vulnerability requires local authentication, meaning an attacker must already have user-level access to the system to exploit this weakness. However, once exploited, the flaw could potentially enable privilege escalation, allowing an authenticated user to gain elevated system privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise and consumer environments that rely on Intel wireless Bluetooth solutions. The local access requirement somewhat limits the attack surface compared to remote exploits, but it remains particularly concerning in scenarios where users might have legitimate local access to systems. The privilege escalation capability could enable attackers to gain administrative or root-level access, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation. Organizations using affected Intel Bluetooth devices face potential security breaches that could affect multiple systems within their network infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." Attackers leveraging CVE-2020-0555 could potentially use the privilege escalation capability to move laterally within networks or establish persistent access. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation controls, applying firmware and driver updates from Intel, and maintaining robust access controls to limit local user privileges. System administrators should also consider network segmentation and monitoring for unusual privilege escalation activities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and thorough input validation in wireless networking components, particularly those handling sensitive system operations. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for affected Intel Bluetooth implementations to ensure proper remediation and prevent exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability exemplifies the growing security challenges in wireless networking components, where the complexity of Bluetooth protocols and driver interactions can create unexpected attack vectors. The remediation process requires careful consideration of firmware updates and compatibility issues that may affect system functionality. Organizations should also implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing privilege escalation vulnerabilities in wireless components. The technical flaw underscores the critical need for security testing throughout the development lifecycle of wireless networking solutions, particularly focusing on input validation and privilege management mechanisms.