CVE-2018-12201 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the Platform Sample / Silicon Reference firmware for various Intel processors could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with privileged access.

Understanding CVE-2018-12201

This CVE involves a security issue in Intel Platform Sample / Silicon Reference firmware affecting multiple processor generations.

What is CVE-2018-12201?

The vulnerability is a buffer overflow issue in the firmware that could be exploited by a user with privileged access to execute arbitrary code locally.

The Impact of CVE-2018-12201

The vulnerability could lead to an escalation of privilege, allowing an attacker to execute malicious code on affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-12201

The technical aspects of the CVE-2018-12201 vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is a buffer overflow in the Platform Sample / Silicon Reference firmware for various Intel processors.

Affected Systems and Versions

8th Generation Intel(R) Core Processor
7th Generation Intel(R) Core Processor
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Silver J5005 Processor
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Silver N5000 Processor
Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4105 Processor
Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4005 Processor
Intel Celeron(R) N4100 Processor
Intel(R) Celeron N4000 Processor

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability could be exploited by a user with privileged access to execute arbitrary code through local access.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-12201, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by Intel to fix the vulnerability.
Monitor Intel's security advisories for updates and recommendations.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update firmware and software to the latest versions.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit user access.

Patching and Updates

Keep firmware and software up to date to prevent vulnerabilities like buffer overflows.