CVE-2020-12890 : What You Need to Know
Discover the impact of CVE-2020-12890 involving AMD processors. Learn about the vulnerability, affected systems, exploitation risks, and mitigation steps to secure your systems.
This CVE involves improper handling of pointers in the System Management Mode (SMM) code of AMD processors, potentially allowing a privileged attacker to manipulate the AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) to execute arbitrary code.
Understanding CVE-2020-12890
This vulnerability was made public on June 17, 2020, by AMD.
What is CVE-2020-12890?
- The vulnerability stems from improper pointer handling in the SMM code of AMD processors.
- It could enable a privileged attacker with physical or administrative access to manipulate AGESA to execute code undetected by the OS.
The Impact of CVE-2020-12890
- Affects AMD processors, specifically the EPYC series.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-12890
This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
- Improper handling of pointers in the SMM code of AMD processors.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: AMD Processors
- Vendor: AMD
- Affected Version: Processor EPYC
- Status: Unaffected
Exploitation Mechanism
- Privileged attacker with physical or administrative access could exploit the vulnerability.
Mitigation and Prevention
Learn how to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-12890.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Regularly check for security updates from AMD.
- Implement strict physical access controls to prevent unauthorized access to systems.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing.
- Educate users on best security practices to prevent unauthorized access.
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches and updates provided by AMD to address the vulnerability.