CVE-2021-1111 in Jetson AGX Xavier
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2021
Bootloader contains a vulnerability in the NV3P server where any user with physical access through USB can trigger an incorrect bounds check, which may lead to buffer overflow, resulting in limited information disclosure, limited data integrity, and information disclosure across all components.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2021
This vulnerability resides within the bootloader component of embedded systems where the NV3P server implementation suffers from a critical bounds checking flaw that can be exploited through physical access via USB interface. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of input parameters during the processing of USB communication requests, specifically when handling data transfers that exceed predetermined buffer boundaries. The flaw allows an attacker with physical access to manipulate the USB interface to send malformed data packets that bypass normal input validation mechanisms, creating conditions where buffer overflow conditions can occur. This technical weakness directly relates to CWE-129 which addresses insufficient bounds checking, and CWE-787 which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. The attack vector requires physical proximity and USB connectivity, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1018 for remote system discovery, though the initial compromise is more accurately characterized as a physical attack vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across all system components due to the bootloader's foundational role in system initialization and operation. When triggered, the buffer overflow condition can result in memory corruption that affects system stability and potentially allows for privilege escalation or code execution in certain configurations. The limited information disclosure aspect means that sensitive system data may be exposed through memory dump operations or corrupted data structures that leak information about system internals, while the limited data integrity impact suggests that certain system parameters or configuration values could be modified during the overflow condition. The vulnerability affects the entire system lifecycle since the bootloader is responsible for initializing all hardware components and establishing the runtime environment for subsequent system processes, making any compromise of this component potentially catastrophic for overall system security posture.
Mitigation strategies must address both the immediate technical flaw and the broader physical security considerations that enable this attack vector. The primary technical fix involves implementing robust bounds checking mechanisms within the NV3P server implementation to validate all input data lengths against predetermined buffer sizes before processing. This requires modifications to the USB data handling routines to ensure that all incoming data is properly validated and that any data exceeding buffer capacity is either rejected or appropriately truncated. Organizations should implement physical security controls including USB port restrictions, device whitelisting, and access control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized physical access to systems. Additionally, regular firmware updates and security patches should be deployed to address similar vulnerabilities in related components, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous USB activity or memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of bootloader components using techniques such as fuzzing and boundary condition testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in the system architecture.