CVE-2022-32764 in DSA Software
Summary
by MITRE • 02/16/2023
Description: Race condition in the Intel(R) DSA software before version 22.4.26 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-32764 represents a critical race condition flaw within Intel's Data Streaming Accelerator software implementation. This issue affects versions prior to 22.4.26 and creates a security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated users with local system access. The race condition manifests in the software's handling of concurrent operations, specifically during privilege management processes where timing dependencies create opportunities for malicious manipulation. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they often exploit the inherent timing characteristics of system operations rather than relying on traditional input validation flaws.
The technical implementation flaw stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within the Intel DSA software components that manage hardware acceleration operations. When multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared resources simultaneously, the lack of adequate locking mechanisms allows for unpredictable execution sequences. This race condition creates a window where an authenticated user can manipulate the system state during critical operations, potentially gaining elevated privileges. The vulnerability falls under CWE-362 which specifically addresses race conditions, making it a well-documented class of concurrency-related security flaws that have been extensively studied in software security literature.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems utilizing Intel DSA technology for data processing acceleration. The requirement for local authentication means that while the attack vector is somewhat limited compared to remote exploits, the potential for privilege escalation remains severe. An attacker with legitimate local access could leverage this flaw to elevate their privileges to system-level access, potentially compromising the entire system. This is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where legitimate users might have local access to systems running Intel DSA software, especially in scenarios involving administrative accounts or service accounts.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. Attackers could use this flaw as part of a multi-stage attack where initial access is gained through legitimate means, followed by local privilege escalation using the race condition. The vulnerability also relates to techniques involving process injection and system service manipulation, as the affected software components often interact with system-level processes. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises, particularly when evaluating systems that rely heavily on Intel DSA for performance-critical applications.
Mitigation strategies should focus primarily on updating to Intel DSA software version 22.4.26 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the race condition. System administrators should also implement additional controls such as restricting local access permissions and monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts. The fix likely involves implementing proper mutex locks and synchronization primitives to prevent concurrent access to vulnerable resources. Organizations should conduct thorough testing of the updated software to ensure compatibility with existing applications and workflows. Regular vulnerability assessments should include checking for outdated Intel DSA installations, as this vulnerability represents a persistent risk for systems that have not received timely updates.