PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS: Out-of-bounds Write
CVE-2023-32472 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS from Dell, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists version v1.05.10 as the first without the flaw, so updating PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS to v1.05.10 or a later version.
- Update Edge Gateway 5200 Firmware to 1.05.10 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on dell.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS | before v1.05.10 | v1.05.10 |
| Dell | Edge Gateway 3200 Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Dell | Edge Gateway 5200 Firmware | before 1.05.10 | 1.05.10 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 5.7 | Medium | CNA (emc.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.2 | High | NVD |
Official description
Dell Edge Gateway BIOS, versions 3200 and 5200, contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user with high privileges could potentially exploit this vulnerability leading to exposure of some code in System Management Mode, leading to arbitrary code execution or escalation of privilege.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write
The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON BIOS
- 8.2 High severity
Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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