CVE-2023-31310 in Radeon RX 6000 Graphics Cards
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2024
Improper input validation in Power Management Firmware (PMFW) may allow an attacker with privileges to send a malformed input for the "set temperature input selection" command, potentially resulting in a loss of integrity and/or availability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-31310 resides within the Power Management Firmware component of affected systems, representing a critical weakness in input validation mechanisms that could be exploited to compromise system integrity and availability. This flaw specifically impacts the "set temperature input selection" command processing within the firmware layer, where insufficient validation of user-supplied parameters creates an attack surface for malicious actors who possess legitimate privileges to interact with the system. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation, which is classified as CWE-20 by the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, highlighting the fundamental flaw in how the firmware handles external inputs without adequate sanitization or verification processes. The security implications extend beyond simple data corruption, as this weakness could enable attackers to manipulate system behavior through carefully crafted malformed inputs that bypass normal operational constraints.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess existing privileges within the system, suggesting that the attack vector likely involves either legitimate administrative access or a compromised account with sufficient permissions to issue power management commands. When a malicious input is submitted to the temperature selection command, the firmware fails to properly validate the structure, range, or format of the provided data, potentially leading to buffer overflows, memory corruption, or unexpected system behavior that could result in complete system failure or unauthorized modification of critical power management parameters. The operational impact of this vulnerability manifests in both integrity and availability concerns, as attackers could potentially alter temperature thresholds that control system cooling mechanisms, leading to hardware damage from overheating or system instability from improper thermal management. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where power management systems control critical infrastructure components, as the compromise of thermal regulation could lead to cascading failures across multiple systems.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.001 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as the exploitation involves sending malformed commands to system interfaces. The attack chain typically begins with privilege escalation or initial compromise to gain access to power management interfaces, followed by the execution of specifically crafted inputs that trigger the validation bypass. Organizations should consider implementing robust input validation controls at multiple layers of their system architecture, including firmware-level checks, application-level sanitization, and network-based filtering mechanisms to prevent malformed inputs from reaching the vulnerable command processing functions. Mitigation strategies should include firmware updates from vendors that address the input validation gaps, implementation of privilege separation controls to limit the scope of potentially compromised accounts, and enhanced monitoring of power management command execution to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of comprehensive security testing for firmware components and the need for defense-in-depth strategies that protect critical system functions from both external and internal threats through proper access controls and input validation measures.