CVE-2021-34372 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A vulnerability has been identified in the NVIDIA Jetson devices, specifically affecting the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 series, TX2 NX, AGX Xavier series, and Xavier NX. The vulnerability is related to the Trusty driver produced by NVIDIA, leading to potential information disclosure, privilege escalation, and denial of service.

Understanding CVE-2021-34372

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-34372 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-34372?

The vulnerability exists in the NVIDIA OTE protocol message parsing code within the Trusty driver. It is caused by an integer overflow in malloc() size calculation, resulting in a heap buffer overflow. This flaw can be exploited to disclose sensitive information, elevate privileges, or cause denial of service attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2021-34372

With a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2, this vulnerability has a high severity level. It can have a significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack complexity is low, requiring local access with low privileges, but user interaction is required to exploit the vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-34372

This section provides technical insights into the CVE-2021-34372 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The Trusty driver vulnerability in the NVIDIA OTE protocol message parsing code leads to an integer overflow, resulting in a heap buffer overflow that poses risks of information disclosure, privilege escalation, and denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects all Jetson Linux versions prior to r32.5.1 across the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 series, TX2 NX, AGX Xavier series, and Xavier NX devices.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft specific input, triggering the integer overflow in malloc() size calculation to achieve a buffer overflow on the heap, thereby leading to security compromise.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-34372.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their systems to Jetson Linux version r32.5.1 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability. It is crucial to apply security patches promptly to prevent potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing proper input validation mechanisms and conducting regular security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future. Security awareness training for users can also enhance overall defense mechanisms.

Patching and Updates

NVIDIA has released updates addressing the vulnerability in Jetson Linux version r32.5.1. Users should ensure timely installation of security patches and firmware updates to protect their NVIDIA Jetson devices.