CVE-2017-3740 : What You Need to Know

Lenovo Active Protection System prior to version 1.82.0.14 is susceptible to a local privilege escalation vulnerability that could lead to a denial of service attack or hardware manipulation.

Understanding CVE-2017-3740

This CVE involves a security issue in Lenovo Active Protection System that allows an attacker with local privileges to interact with the system's embedded controller, potentially causing a denial of service or hardware functionality alteration.

What is CVE-2017-3740?

Prior to version 1.82.0.14 of the Lenovo Active Protection System, an individual with local privileges had the capability to transmit instructions to the embedded controller of the system. This action could potentially result in a denial of service attack on the system or the ability to manipulate hardware functionality.

The Impact of CVE-2017-3740

The vulnerability in Lenovo Active Protection System could be exploited by an attacker with local privileges to disrupt system operations through denial of service attacks or unauthorized hardware control.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-3740

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows local attackers to send commands to the system's embedded controller, posing a risk of denial of service attacks or unauthorized hardware manipulation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Active Protection System
Vendor: Lenovo Group Ltd.
Vulnerable Versions: Earlier than 1.82.0.14

Exploitation Mechanism

The issue arises from insufficient access controls, enabling attackers with local privileges to communicate with the embedded controller, potentially leading to system disruption or hardware tampering.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Lenovo Active Protection System to version 1.82.0.14 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any unusual activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict access rights and minimize the impact of potential vulnerabilities.
Regularly update and patch software to address security flaws and enhance system resilience.

Patching and Updates

Lenovo has released version 1.82.0.14 to address the vulnerability. Ensure timely installation of security patches to safeguard systems against known threats.