Intel patches flaw that leaves millions of computers vulnerable to hidden attacks

The flaws would let hackers run code on targeted systems using vulnerabilities, which include multiple buffer overflows in the operating system kernel for the Intel Management Engine (ME) firmware.

Intel patched ten vulnerabilities across a dozen generations of CPUs, with many of the vulnerabilities being severe and impacting millions of devices.

The flaws would let hackers run code on targeted systems using vulnerabilities, which include multiple buffer overflows in the operating system kernel for the Intel Management Engine (ME) firmware.

Lenovo, whose website calls it a high severity vulnerability with an industry-wide scope, has a striking description of the issue:

“An attacker could load and execute arbitrary code outside the visibility of the user, operating system, and hypervisor/virtualization platform; resulting in exfiltration of secrets, subtle manipulation of system operation or denial of service.”

Intel’s ME has long been criticized by security experts as a secret second internet-connected computer running inside your own machine without your knowledge or consent. That’s a potentially giant problem from a number of angles, not least of which is the fact that a user can’t turn ME off.

David A. Eckhardt, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, dove into Intel ME and calls it simply “the bad thing.”

It’s a secretive protocol, but there is a years-long history of Intel ME information out there including early deep dives, multiple previous vulnerabilities from 2017 alone and outcry about the “security hazard” it poses to mostly unknowing users.

The firm is urging affected customers to update their firmware. Intel released a downloadable detection tool to analyze systems for vulnerabilities impacting Intel ME.

Government

• FBI officials say AI is bolstering adversaries, emphasizing need to focus on cyber basics, patching

• Feds accuse China of ‘systematic’ distillation of U.S. AI models

• CIA’s Michael Ellis says cyber intelligence is changing how the agency operates

• Jail time for Maine child in 764 marks turning point in federal law enforcement

Technology

• FCC proposes public scorecard to rate telecoms on anti-robocall efforts

• Pegasus, NoviSpy variant spyware found on devices of Serbian activists

• Wyden seeks upgraded NSA security guidance on commercial VPN use

• The Collective Cyber Defense letter wrote your next vendor questionnaire

Threats

• Chinese espionage groups swarm to exploit triple-link chain of zero-days

• Microsoft discloses two actively exploited zero-days among 974 vulnerabilities

• Russian national extradited to US for alleged involvement in bank-account takeover scheme

• Attackers exploit zero-days in consistently besieged SonicWall product

Policy

• Whistleblower says USPS deploying new, ‘untested’ IT systems governing mail-in ballots

• ‘Watershed 250’ test program in Texas looks to private sector for water cybersecurity help

• Former sexual abuse victims say Grok used their images, videos to train deepfake capabilities

• Cyber threats nudge Trump to sign executive order on foreign equipment in U.S. energy infrastructure