CVE-2023-31330 in Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Processors
Summary
by MITRE • 09/06/2025
An out-of-bounds read in the ASP could allow a privileged attacker with access to a malicious bootloader to potentially read sensitive memory resulting in loss of confidentiality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-31330 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the Advanced System Programming (ASP) framework that could be exploited by adversaries with elevated privileges. This issue manifests when a malicious bootloader is loaded into a system, creating a pathway for unauthorized memory access that compromises the confidentiality of sensitive data. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking mechanisms within the ASP implementation, allowing memory access beyond allocated boundaries. Such flaws typically occur in low-level system components where memory management is critical and errors can have cascading effects on system security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the realm of CWE-129, which encompasses improper validation of array indices and out-of-bounds reads. The ASP component, which typically handles system-level programming tasks and firmware interactions, fails to properly validate memory access requests when processing bootloader code. This allows an attacker with the ability to install malicious firmware or bootloader code to manipulate memory pointers and read data from arbitrary memory locations. The privilege escalation aspect is crucial as the attack requires only access to a malicious bootloader rather than full system compromise, making it particularly dangerous in environments where firmware updates or boot processes are not properly secured.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-31330 extends beyond simple data leakage, as it could potentially expose cryptographic keys, system credentials, or other sensitive information stored in memory. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to bypass security controls that rely on memory-based protections, potentially leading to complete system compromise or unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability's exploitation requires a privileged attacker with access to the bootloader environment, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, involving the use of local system privileges to gain additional access. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning in supply chain attacks or insider threat scenarios where attackers might have access to system boot processes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust bounds checking mechanisms within the ASP framework and ensuring that all bootloader components undergo strict validation before execution. System administrators should implement firmware integrity checking mechanisms and ensure that only trusted bootloaders are permitted to execute. Additionally, memory protection features such as address space layout randomization and kernel address space layout randomization should be enabled to make exploitation more difficult. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure boot processes and proper firmware validation, as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-147 and ISO/IEC 27031, which emphasize the need for protecting system firmware and boot processes from unauthorized modification. Regular firmware updates and security assessments of boot processes are essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the ASP framework.