CVE-2018-3652 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2018-3652 was published on July 10, 2018, by Intel Corporation. The vulnerability affects 5th and 6th generation Intel Xeon Processor E3 Family, Intel Xeon Scalable processors, and Intel Xeon Processor D Family. It allows a physically present attacker with limited access to potentially retrieve platform secrets through debug interfaces.

Understanding CVE-2018-3652

Existing UEFI setting restrictions for DCI in the affected Intel processors create an opportunity for information disclosure and elevation of privilege attacks.

What is CVE-2018-3652?

The vulnerability in CVE-2018-3652 arises from limitations on UEFI settings for DCI in specific Intel Xeon Processor families, enabling attackers to access platform secrets through debug interfaces.

The Impact of CVE-2018-3652

The vulnerability poses a risk of information disclosure and elevation of privilege, allowing attackers to retrieve sensitive platform secrets.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-3652

The technical aspects of the vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

Limited physical access allows attackers to potentially retrieve platform secrets through debug interfaces.

Affected Systems and Versions

Intel Xeon Processor: 5th and 6th generation Intel Xeon Processor E3 Family, Intel Xeon Scalable processors, and Intel Xeon Processor D Family.

Exploitation Mechanism

Physically present attackers with restricted access can exploit UEFI settings for DCI to access platform secrets.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-3652, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement BIOS/UEFI firmware updates from Intel.
Monitor and restrict physical access to vulnerable systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update firmware and security patches.
Implement strict access controls and monitoring for debug interfaces.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Intel to mitigate the vulnerability.