CVE-2022-33942 - Protection Mechanism Failure in Intel DCM Software Could Lead to Escalation of Privilege via Adjacent Access

In this post, we will discuss the security vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-33942. The vulnerability affects Intel Data Center Manager (DCM) software before version 5.. Due to protection mechanism failure, unauthenticated users may potentially enable escalation of privilege via adjacent access.

First, let's provide some background on the Intel DCM and its role in the data center.

Intel DCM: An Overview

The Intel Data Center Manager (DCM) is a remote management solution that provides real-time power and thermal data for servers, storage, and other devices found in data centers. With this information, data center administrators can manage power consumption more effectively, optimize cooling strategies, and improve data center efficiency.

You can read more about Intel DCM here.

Exploit Details

As mentioned earlier, the vulnerability, CVE-2022-33942, affects Intel DCM versions lower than 5.. The vulnerability arises due to a protection mechanism failure, which can be exploited by unauthenticated users to escalate privileges via adjacent access.

An important note is that this vulnerability does not provide remote access. The attacker must have adjacent access to the target system to exploit this vulnerability. Still, it is a significant concern, as the consequences could be severe if an attacker gains escalated privileges.

Code Snippets and Exploitation

To provide a better understanding of the vulnerability, here are some code snippets that demonstrate a potential exploitation:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include "intel_dcm_client.h"

#define DEFAULT_TARGET_HOST "localhost"
#define DEFAULT_TARGET_PORT 900
#define FAKE_PRIVILEGE "escalated"

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
   const char *target_host = DEFAULT_TARGET_HOST;
   unsigned short target_port = DEFAULT_TARGET_PORT;

   if(argc > 1) {
      target_host = argv[1];
      if(argc > 2)
        target_port = atoi(argv[2]);
   }

   intel_dcm_client dcm_client;
   dcm_client.connect(target_host, target_port);

   printf("Sending the exploit payload to %s:%u...\n", target_host, target_port);
   if(dcm_client.send_exploit_payload(FAKE_PRIVILEGE)) {
      printf("Exploit successfully executed. Privilege escalated to: %s\n", FAKE_PRIVILEGE);
   } else {
      printf("Exploit failed.\n");
   }

   dcm_client.disconnect();
   return ;
}

In this code snippet, the attacker connects to an Intel DCM instance running on a target system with adjacent access. The send_exploit_payload() function sends a crafted payload designed to exploit the protection mechanism failure and escalate the attacker's privileges to a higher level (in this case, named "escalated").

This example is for demonstration purposes only and should not be used for malicious activities.

Remediation and Prevention

To address this vulnerability, Intel has released DCM version 5. and recommends updating to the latest version immediately. Please refer to the Intel security advisory on CVE-2022-33942 for more information and additional mitigation recommendations.

In addition to updating the affected software, implementing robust access control and monitoring mechanisms can further mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-33942 is a security vulnerability affecting Intel DCM software before version 5., potentially allowing unauthenticated users to escalate privileges via adjacent access. It is essential to update to the latest version of Intel DCM and implement proper access control and monitoring strategies to prevent successful exploitation.

Stay informed about security threats, vulnerabilities, and best practices by following trusted resources such as NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD) and Intel's Product Security Center.

Keep data centers and other critical infrastructure components secure by staying vigilant and always following industry best practices.

Timeline

Published on: 11/11/2022 16:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/17/2022 15:01:00 UTC