CVE-2022-41771 in QAT Drivers
Summary
by MITRE • 05/10/2023
Incorrect permission assignment for critical resource in some Intel(R) QAT drivers for Windows before version 1.9.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41771 represents a critical flaw in Intel QuickAssist Technology QAT drivers for Windows operating systems. This issue affects versions prior to 1.9.0 and stems from improper permission assignment for critical system resources. The flaw specifically targets the authorization mechanisms within the driver software, creating a pathway for authenticated users to potentially exploit local access privileges for information disclosure purposes. The vulnerability resides in the driver's handling of resource permissions, where insufficient access controls allow malicious actors with legitimate user credentials to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a misconfiguration in the driver's resource management system where critical resources are not properly protected by appropriate access control lists. When a user authenticates to the system, the driver fails to enforce proper permission boundaries for accessing hardware-assisted cryptographic operations and data processing resources. This misconfiguration creates a privilege escalation vector that allows authenticated users to bypass normal security controls and access confidential information that should be restricted to privileged system components. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the Windows driver framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through legitimate user sessions without requiring administrative privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-41771 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to access sensitive cryptographic keys, session data, and other confidential information processed through the QAT hardware acceleration components. This vulnerability affects systems utilizing Intel QuickAssist Technology for data encryption, compression, and cryptographic processing, which are commonly found in enterprise environments, data centers, and security-critical applications. The local access requirement means that exploitation typically requires a pre-existing user account, but the privilege escalation potential allows attackers to move laterally within networks where QAT drivers are deployed. Organizations using these drivers for security-critical functions face potential data breaches and compromised cryptographic operations that could undermine their entire security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41771 primarily focus on immediate driver version updates to 1.9.0 or later, which contain the necessary permission fixes and access control improvements. System administrators should prioritize patching all affected systems and verify that the updated drivers properly enforce access controls for critical resources. Additional protective measures include implementing strict access control policies for systems running QAT drivers, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and conducting regular security assessments of cryptographic operations. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and ensure that QAT drivers are only deployed on systems where the benefits outweigh the security risks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software implementations, and represents a significant concern for organizations following ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation tactics. The fix addresses fundamental issues in the driver's resource management and access control mechanisms, requiring comprehensive testing to ensure that the updated drivers maintain proper functionality while eliminating the information disclosure risk.