CVE-2024-52880: Critical Vulnerability in Insyde InsydeH2O Kernels Potentially Leading to System Compromise

Overview

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, vulnerabilities are discovered and patched on a daily basis. One such vulnerability has been identified in the Insyde InsydeH2O kernels, affecting multiple versions. This vulnerability, tagged as CVE-2024-52880, is a serious security flaw that exposes systems to potential compromise and data leakage if exploited.
This vulnerability affects a broad range of Insyde InsydeH2O kernels, making it a significant concern for users and administrators of these systems. It is critical to understand the nature of this vulnerability, its potential impact, and how to effectively mitigate it to protect sensitive data and maintain system integrity.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2024-52880
Severity: High (CVSS Score: 7.9)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.2 | Before 05.29.50
Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.3 | Before 05.38.50
Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.4 | Before 05.46.50
Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.5 | Before 05.54.50
Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.6 | Before 05.61.50
Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.7 | Before 05.70.50

How the Exploit Works

The vulnerability lies in the VariableRuntimeDxe driver of the Insyde InsydeH2O kernel. The driver uses DataSize and VariableNameSize to determine if the data or name are in the buffer. However, these values are supplied by the caller, making them untrustworthy.
An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the DataSize and VariableNameSize values to execute malicious code or gain unauthorized access to data. This could compromise the system or lead to data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Below is a conceptual example of how this vulnerability might be exploited. In this pseudocode, the attacker manipulates the DataSize and VariableNameSize values:

#include <insydeh2o.h>
void exploit() {
uint32_t dataSize = 0xFFFFFFFF; // Manipulated size
uint32_t variableNameSize = 0xFFFFFFFF; // Manipulated size
// Request data with manipulated sizes
InsydeH2O_GetVariable(variableName, &variableNameSize, NULL, &dataSize, data);
}

This example is purely illustrative and provides a basic understanding of how the vulnerability might be exploited. It’s important to note that real-world exploits would be far more complex and potentially devastating.

Mitigation Guidance

Users and administrators are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible. If a patch cannot be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can offer temporary mitigation. Regularly updating and patching your systems is the best defense against such vulnerabilities.