CVE-2020-8676 in Visual Compute Accelerator
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2020
Improper access control in the Intel(R) Visual Compute Accelerator 2, all versions, may allow a privileged user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2020
The Intel Visual Compute Accelerator 2 represents a specialized hardware platform designed for visual computing tasks including video encoding and decoding operations. This device operates as a dedicated accelerator within computing systems and is typically managed through specific software interfaces that handle access control mechanisms. The vulnerability under discussion affects all versions of this accelerator hardware, indicating a fundamental flaw in the access control implementation that spans the entire product lifecycle.
The technical flaw manifests as improper access control within the Intel Visual Compute Accelerator 2's privilege management system. This vulnerability specifically affects the local access control mechanisms that govern how privileged users interact with the hardware. When a user possesses elevated privileges within the system, they can potentially exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges further within the accelerator's operational environment. The improper access control allows for unauthorized privilege escalation through local access points, meaning that an attacker with existing system privileges can leverage this weakness to gain even higher levels of access.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for systems utilizing the Intel Visual Compute Accelerator 2. The potential privilege escalation could enable an attacker to gain administrative control over the accelerator's functions, potentially allowing them to modify system parameters, access sensitive data processed by the accelerator, or even compromise other system components that rely on this hardware. The local access requirement means that physical or network access to the system is necessary, but once achieved, the escalation of privileges could provide attackers with substantial control over the visual computing operations. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and could undermine the security posture of systems that depend on this accelerator for critical visual processing tasks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of proper privilege management principles. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain targeting system integrity. Organizations utilizing this hardware should consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized privilege escalation attempts. The recommended mitigations include applying available firmware updates from Intel, implementing network segmentation to limit local access to these devices, and conducting regular security assessments to monitor for potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should ensure that only necessary users have local access to systems containing this hardware and that proper logging and monitoring are in place to detect any suspicious privilege escalation activities.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond the immediate hardware platform, as it demonstrates how specialized accelerators can introduce unique security challenges that may not be adequately addressed by traditional security controls. Organizations should evaluate their entire hardware ecosystem for similar access control weaknesses and ensure that all components maintain proper privilege boundaries to prevent cascading security failures.