CVE-2024-10237
Executive Summary
CVE-2024-10237 is a critical vulnerability in the BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) firmware image authentication design of the Supermicro MBD-X12DPG-OA6 motherboard. The flaw allows an attacker with administrative access to modify the BMC firmware in a way that bypasses the signature verification process, enabling the installation of a malicious firmware image. This can lead to persistent, stealthy compromise of the server's management plane, allowing an attacker to maintain long-term access, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt operations. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.2 (High) and currently has no known patch or public exploit code.
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CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level
- CVSS Score: 7.2 (High)
- Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – The attack can be launched remotely.
- Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – No special conditions are required.
- Privileges Required (PR): High (H) – The attacker needs administrative access to the BMC.
- User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user action is required.
- Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – The impact is confined to the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality (C): High (H) – Full compromise of BMC data.
- Integrity (I): High (H) – Full compromise of BMC firmware integrity.
- Availability (A): High (H) – Full compromise of BMC availability.
Threat Level: High. The vulnerability allows for a complete takeover of the BMC, which is a critical component for server management. The lack of a patch and the potential for persistent, stealthy attacks make this a significant threat.
Deep Dive & Mechanics
The vulnerability lies in the BMC firmware image authentication design of the Supermicro MBD-X12DPG-OA6 motherboard. The BMC is responsible for out-of-band management, including remote power control, console access, and sensor monitoring. The firmware image is digitally signed to ensure its integrity and authenticity.
The flaw allows an attacker with administrative access to the BMC to modify the firmware image in a way that bypasses the signature verification process. This could be achieved through several potential mechanisms:
- Signature Verification Bypass: The BMC's firmware update process may not properly validate the digital signature of the firmware image. An attacker could craft a malicious firmware image that appears to have a valid signature or exploit a flaw in the verification logic.
- Insecure Firmware Update Process: The BMC may allow firmware updates without proper authentication or integrity checks, allowing an attacker to directly flash a malicious image.
- Vulnerable Bootloader: The bootloader responsible for loading the BMC firmware may have a vulnerability that allows an attacker to bypass signature checks and load a malicious image.
Once the malicious firmware is installed, the attacker gains persistent, stealthy control over the BMC. This can be used to:
- Maintain Persistence: The malicious firmware can survive reboots and even operating system reinstallation.
- Exfiltrate Data: The BMC has access to the host's memory and storage, allowing an attacker to steal sensitive data.
- Disrupt Operations: The attacker can power cycle the server, disable cooling, or corrupt the host's operating system.
- Lateral Movement: The compromised BMC can be used as a pivot point to attack other systems on the management network.
Vulnerable vs. Patched Code
No patched code is available for this vulnerability. The vulnerable design is inherent to the BMC firmware image authentication process. A patch would require a firmware update from Supermicro that addresses the signature verification bypass.
Exploitation & Lab Setup
Red Team
Prerequisites:
- Administrative access to the BMC (e.g., via IPMI or web interface).
- A custom-built malicious BMC firmware image.
Exploitation Steps:
- Gain Access: Obtain administrative credentials to the BMC (e.g., default credentials, brute-force, or phishing).
- Prepare Malicious Firmware: Create a modified BMC firmware image that includes a backdoor or other malicious functionality. This image must be crafted to bypass the signature verification process.
- Upload Malicious Firmware: Use the BMC's firmware update interface (e.g., web UI, IPMI command) to upload the malicious image.
- Trigger Update: Initiate the firmware update process. The BMC will flash the malicious image.
- Establish Persistence: The malicious firmware will now run on the BMC, providing persistent access.
Example IPMI Command (Conceptual):
# This is a conceptual example. Actual commands may vary.
ipmitool -H <BMC_IP> -U <username> -P <password> raw 0x32 0xaa 0x44 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 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