CVE-2020-8767 in 50GbE IP Core
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2020
Uncaught exception in the Intel(R) 50GbE IP Core for Intel(R) Quartus Prime before version 20.2 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable denial of service via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-8767 resides within the Intel 50GbE IP Core component of the Intel Quartus Prime software development environment. This issue manifests as an uncaught exception that occurs during the processing of specific input conditions within the network interface core implementation. The vulnerability affects versions of Intel Quartus Prime prior to 20.2, representing a critical weakness in the software's error handling mechanisms that could be exploited by malicious actors with local access privileges.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate exception handling within the Intel 50GbE IP Core module, where the software fails to properly manage certain error conditions that arise during packet processing or configuration operations. When an authenticated user with local system access presents malformed or specially crafted input parameters to the Quartus Prime environment, the application encounters an unhandled exception that causes the software to terminate unexpectedly. This behavior represents a classic software reliability issue that falls under CWE-459, which describes incomplete exception handling or termination, and can be categorized as a denial of service condition according to CWE-400.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it creates a persistent threat to the development workflow within organizations relying on Intel Quartus Prime for FPGA design and implementation. An authenticated attacker with local access to a system running affected software versions can exploit this weakness to cause repeated application crashes, forcing developers to restart their development environment and potentially lose unsaved work. This disruption can significantly impact productivity and project timelines, particularly in environments where continuous development cycles are critical for maintaining competitive advantage.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers the use of denial of service attacks through application or service interruption. The local access requirement means that exploitation typically requires either physical access to the development machine or the ability to establish a session with valid user credentials, making it a medium-risk threat in environments with proper access controls. However, the vulnerability's presence in development tools creates a particularly concerning attack surface since these systems often contain sensitive intellectual property and design data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-8767 primarily involve upgrading to Intel Quartus Prime version 20.2 or later, which includes proper exception handling mechanisms that prevent the uncaught exception scenario. Organizations should also implement robust access control measures to limit local system access to only authorized personnel, thereby reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability. Additionally, regular security assessments of development environments should include verification of software versions and patch compliance to prevent similar issues from persisting across the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper error handling in mission-critical development tools and underscores the need for comprehensive software quality assurance processes that address both functional requirements and security considerations.