CVE-2023-23909 in Trace Analyzer and Collector
Summary
by MITRE • 05/10/2023
Out-of-bounds read for some Intel(R) Trace Analyzer and Collector software before version 2021.8.0 published Dec 2022 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-23909 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Intel(R) Trace Analyzer and Collector software versions prior to 2021.8.0. This security weakness manifests as a memory access violation that occurs when the software processes certain input data structures, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure. The vulnerability specifically affects Intel's trace analysis and collection tools that are commonly used for performance monitoring and debugging in software development environments.
Technical exploitation of this out-of-bounds read vulnerability requires an authenticated user with local access to the affected system. The flaw arises from inadequate bounds checking within the software's memory management routines, where the application attempts to read data from memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient checking of the length or size of a buffer, and can be categorized as a memory safety issue that enables potential information disclosure attacks. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level where legitimate authenticated users already possess elevated privileges.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially expose sensitive debugging information, system memory contents, or proprietary software data that may be accessible through the trace analysis process. Attackers with local access could leverage this flaw to extract confidential information from the system, potentially including source code fragments, memory addresses, or other sensitive data that would normally remain protected. This risk is exacerbated in development environments where trace collectors are frequently used to analyze application behavior and performance characteristics, creating an environment where sensitive information might be inadvertently exposed through the flawed memory access patterns.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Intel Trace Analyzer and Collector version 2021.8.0 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and memory validation mechanisms. Additionally, system administrators should implement strict access controls and monitor local user activities on systems running affected software. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system storage, and demonstrates how authenticated local access can be leveraged to extract sensitive information from system memory through memory safety flaws. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of older software versions within the organization's infrastructure.