CVE-2024-24968 in Intel
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2024
Improper finite state machines (FSMs) in hardware logic in some Intel(R) Processors may allow an privileged user to potentially enable a denial of service via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-24968 represents a critical flaw in the hardware logic design of certain Intel processors, specifically within their finite state machine implementations. This issue falls under the category of hardware-level security vulnerabilities that can have far-reaching implications for system stability and availability. The flaw exists in the processor's control logic where the finite state machines governing hardware operations do not properly handle certain transition conditions, creating potential pathways for malicious exploitation. Finite state machines serve as fundamental building blocks in processor design, controlling the flow of instructions and managing hardware resources through defined states and transitions. When these machines fail to properly validate or handle state changes, they can create unpredictable behavior that adversaries might leverage for system disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate state validation mechanisms within the processor's control logic architecture. When an authenticated user with local access executes specific sequences of operations, the processor's finite state machines may enter undefined or unstable states that can cause the processor to malfunction or become unresponsive. This behavior manifests as a denial of service condition where normal system operations become impaired or completely halted. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local privileged access, meaning that an attacker who already has user-level credentials on a system can potentially trigger this condition. The underlying issue is classified as a weakness in the processor's hardware design that affects the fundamental control flow mechanisms, making it difficult to patch through software updates alone.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems that depend on uninterrupted processor performance and reliability. Organizations running critical infrastructure, server farms, or high-performance computing environments face potential service disruptions when this vulnerability is exploited. The denial of service condition can affect system availability in ways that are difficult to predict or isolate, as the processor's state machine failures may manifest differently depending on the specific workload and execution context. Network services, database operations, and real-time processing applications could all be impacted by this vulnerability, potentially leading to extended downtime and service degradation. The localized nature of the attack means that system administrators must be vigilant about monitoring for unusual processor behavior and potential denial of service conditions that could indicate exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses improper access to memory locations, and demonstrates how hardware-level design flaws can create persistent security risks that extend beyond typical software vulnerabilities. From an adversarial perspective, this weakness maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks, as the processor-level denial of service can effectively disrupt system operations. Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require a multi-layered approach combining hardware updates from Intel, system monitoring for abnormal processor behavior, and implementation of robust access controls to limit local privileged access. Organizations should also implement comprehensive system health monitoring that can detect unusual processor states or performance degradation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fundamental nature of this vulnerability means that complete remediation will likely require processor firmware updates and potentially hardware replacements for affected systems.