ThinkPad: Not Failing Securely
CVE-2023-4030 is a high-severity not failing securely vulnerability in ThinkPad from Lenovo, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected ThinkPad versions: various; p14_gen2; p15_gen2, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.19% 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
- Check which version of ThinkPad you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on support.lenovo.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo | ThinkPad | various; p14_gen2; p15_gen2; t14_gen2; t15_gen2 | Not stated |
| Lenovo | Thinkpad T15 Gen 2 Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Lenovo | Thinkpad P14s Gen 2 Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Lenovo | Thinkpad P15s Gen 2 Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Lenovo | Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
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
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.4 | High | CNA (lenovo.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
A vulnerability was reported in BIOS for ThinkPad P14s Gen 2, P15s Gen 2, T14 Gen 2, and T15 Gen 2 that could cause the system to recover to insecure settings if the BIOS becomes corrupt.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Not Failing Securely
When the product encounters an error condition or failure, its design requires it to fall back to a state that is less secure than other options that are available, such as selecting the weakest encryption algorithm or using the most permissive access control restrictions.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Subdivide and allocate resources and components so that a failure in one part does not affect the entire product.
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
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