CVE-2020-0571 in Intel
Summary
by MITRE • 10/05/2020
Improper conditions check in BIOS firmware for 8th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) Processors and Intel(R) Pentium(R) Silver Processor Series may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2020
CVE-2020-0571 represents a critical firmware vulnerability affecting Intel's 8th generation Core processors and Pentium Silver processor series, where improper conditions checks within the BIOS firmware create exploitable pathways for information disclosure. This vulnerability resides at the lowest level of system security infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous as it operates outside the traditional operating system boundaries where most security controls are implemented. The flaw specifically manifests in the firmware's handling of certain processor states and memory management functions during system initialization and runtime operations, creating conditions where authenticated users can potentially access sensitive information that should remain protected within the processor's secure execution environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of system conditions within the BIOS firmware code, particularly in how the firmware manages processor power states and memory protection mechanisms. When an authenticated user gains local access to a system running affected processors, they can potentially manipulate firmware state variables that control access to confidential data stored in processor memory regions. This represents a classic example of a firmware-level privilege escalation vulnerability where the attacker leverages legitimate system access to bypass normally enforced security boundaries. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, which deals with improper access control in firmware implementations, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system weaknesses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to access sensitive data that may include cryptographic keys, system configuration parameters, or other confidential information stored in processor-protected memory regions. An authenticated attacker with local access can potentially exploit this condition to extract information that would normally be restricted to privileged system components, effectively undermining the processor's security model and the firmware's role as a trusted execution environment. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where systems may be compromised through various attack vectors, as it provides a persistent access mechanism that can survive operating system reboots and updates, since the vulnerability exists in the firmware layer.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-0571 primarily focus on firmware updates from Intel, which address the improper conditions checks by implementing proper validation mechanisms for processor state transitions and memory access controls. System administrators should prioritize applying the latest firmware updates from Intel and ensure that all affected systems receive these patches promptly. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unauthorized local access attempts can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of firmware security in modern computing environments, where traditional operating system security controls may be insufficient to protect against low-level firmware attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing hardware-based security features such as Intel's Platform Trust Technology and ensure that firmware integrity verification mechanisms are enabled to prevent unauthorized modifications to the vulnerable firmware components.