CVE-2021-3453 : Security Advisory and Response

Some Lenovo Notebook, ThinkPad, and Lenovo Desktop systems are impacted by a vulnerability in the BIOS modules. An attacker with physical access could potentially write to the SPI flash storage.

Understanding CVE-2021-3453

This CVE details a security issue in certain Lenovo systems that leaves the BIOS modules vulnerable to unauthorized modifications.

What is CVE-2021-3453?

Lenovo devices such as Notebooks and Desktops may have BIOS modules lacking protection mechanisms, allowing an attacker physical access to write to the SPI flash storage, leading to potential security breaches.

The Impact of CVE-2021-3453

The vulnerability poses a medium-level threat, with high impacts on confidentiality, availability, and integrity. The attack complexity is low, and no user interaction or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-3453

The specifics of the vulnerability include:

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from unprotected BIOS modules that could enable unauthorized writing to the SPI flash storage on affected Lenovo systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects various versions of BIOS in Lenovo Notebook, ThinkPad, and Lenovo Desktop systems.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would need physical access to the device to tamper with the BIOS modules.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard against CVE-2021-3453, consider the following measures:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update system firmware on the impacted Lenovo devices to the versions specified in the Product Impact section of advisory LEN-65529.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement physical security measures to restrict unauthorized access to devices to prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-3453.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for system firmware updates and security advisories from Lenovo to address known vulnerabilities and ensure system security.