Overview
In the world of cybersecurity, the most critical assets to protect are often the most fundamental ones. A new vulnerability, CVE-2025-4275, is a stark reminder of this fact as it targets the Insyde BIOS, a low-level system component that initiates hardware during the booting process. This vulnerability allows an attacker to change the certificate on any Insyde BIOS and then launch the attached .efi file, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
The significance of this vulnerability is underpinned by the fact that BIOS is the first software that runs when a system starts, and any compromise at this level can give an attacker comprehensive control over the system. As such, this vulnerability needs to be addressed promptly and effectively.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-4275
Severity: High (7.8)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Insyde BIOS | All versions prior to patch
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by running a malicious utility that changes the certificate on any Insyde BIOS. By doing so, it creates a loophole that allows the attacker to execute any .efi file of their choice. This .efi file could contain malicious code designed to compromise the system or leak data to the attacker. Given that the BIOS is a crucial component in the booting process, an exploit at this level can give an attacker almost unrestricted control over the system.
Conceptual Example Code
The following is a
conceptual
example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. It’s a simple shell command that runs the malicious utility:
$ ./malicious_utility --change-certificate --bios /dev/sda --efi /path/to/malicious.efiIn the above example, `./malicious_utility` is the malicious utility that changes the certificate on the BIOS. `–change-certificate` is the command to change the certificate, `–bios /dev/sda` specifies the target BIOS, and `–efi /path/to/malicious.efi` is the path to the malicious .efi file that the attacker aims to execute.
It’s important to note that this is a simplified, conceptual example. Actual exploitation would likely involve further steps and complexity, depending on the specifics of the targeted system and the goal of the attack.