CVE-2022-36765 in EDK2
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2024
EDK2 is susceptible to a vulnerability in the CreateHob() function, allowing a user to trigger a integer overflow to buffer overflow via a local network. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in a compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-36765 resides within the Intel EDK2 (Extensible Firmware Development Kit 2) firmware development environment, specifically within the CreateHob() function implementation. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that stems from inadequate input validation and arithmetic overflow handling within the firmware's HOB (Hand-Off Block) creation mechanism. The vulnerability manifests when the firmware processes certain crafted inputs that cause integer overflow conditions during memory allocation calculations. The affected function fails to properly validate the size parameters before performing arithmetic operations, creating a scenario where malicious input can manipulate the calculation results to exceed the intended buffer boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through local network-based attack vectors where an adversary can craft specific network packets or firmware update requests that trigger the vulnerable code path. When the CreateHob() function processes these malicious inputs, the integer overflow condition causes the subsequent memory allocation to be calculated incorrectly, leading to a buffer overflow scenario. This overflow can overwrite adjacent memory regions within the firmware's operational space, potentially corrupting critical data structures or executable code segments. The vulnerability's classification as a local network attack means that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly concerning for embedded systems and IoT devices that rely on EDK2-based firmware implementations.
The operational impact of successful exploitation extends across all three fundamental principles of information security, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive firmware data, modify critical system parameters, or potentially execute arbitrary code within the firmware environment. The confidentiality breach could expose proprietary firmware implementations, security keys, or system configuration details that should remain protected. Integrity compromise allows for persistent modifications to the firmware that could establish backdoors, disable security features, or alter system behavior in ways that persist across reboots. Availability is threatened as the buffer overflow could cause system crashes, lockups, or render the device inoperable through memory corruption that affects critical firmware operations.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, and CWE-121, Stack-based Buffer Overflow, representing a classic combination of integer arithmetic issues that lead to memory corruption vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell and T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as attackers could leverage the compromised firmware to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the system. The attack surface is particularly concerning for systems that rely on EDK2 for UEFI firmware implementations, including enterprise servers, embedded devices, and IoT platforms where firmware integrity is paramount to overall system security.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from vendors who have addressed this vulnerability in their EDK2 implementations, along with implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous firmware update activities. Additional defensive measures include deploying firmware integrity checking mechanisms, implementing secure boot processes that validate firmware signatures, and establishing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive firmware inventory assessments to identify all systems running EDK2-based firmware and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. The vulnerability underscores the importance of rigorous input validation and integer overflow protection in firmware development practices, emphasizing the need for adherence to secure coding standards and regular security assessments of firmware components.