CVE-2024-26240: Addressing a Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

In recent years, cyber-attacks have become increasingly complex, with hackers relying on vulnerabilities in various software applications and hardware systems to infiltrate and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. One such vulnerability is the Secure Boot security feature bypass, which is now documented under CVE-2024-26240. In this blog post, we'll discuss the details of CVE-2024-26240, including a code snippet, links to original references, and exploit details.

CVE-2024-26240:Overview

The Secure Boot security feature is designed to protect the boot process from unauthorized and untrusted code execution. It validates the cryptographic signatures of the firmware and operating system components before executing them. However, a vulnerability has been identified in this process, which allows attackers to bypass the Secure Boot and execute malicious code on the target system.

The CVE-2024-26240 vulnerability is a result of improper validation of the boot components or the boot configuration. This vulnerability manifests in systems that utilize the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot methodology. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to install bootkits or rootkits and tamper with the targeted device during the boot process.

Code Snippet

Below is a code snippet, showing how the attacker can tamper with the boot configuration to bypass the Secure Boot security feature:

// Bypassing Secure Boot validation by modifying the boot configuration
// Assuming the attacker has managed to gain access and modify boot configuration

typedef struct _SECURE_BOOT_CONFIGURATION {
    BOOLEAN SecureBootEnabled; // Initially set to TRUE (1)
    // ... Other settings and configurations
} SECURE_BOOT_CONFIGURATION, *PSECURE_BOOT_CONFIGURATION;

VOID BypassSecureBootValidation (PSECURE_BOOT_CONFIGURATION BootConfig) {
    // Attacker modifies this configuration value
    BootConfig->SecureBootEnabled = FALSE; // Bypass Secure Boot by setting it to FALSE ()
}

This code demonstrates a simple exploitation technique by altering the SecureBootEnabled flag in the Secure Boot configuration. This change essentially disables the secure boot process and enables the attacker to execute malicious code on the targeted system.

Attackers can exploit the CVE-2024-26240 vulnerability to

1. Disable the Secure Boot security feature remotely or by gaining physical access to the target system.

Compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information on targeted systems.

4. Evade detection by security solutions, including antivirus, anti-rootkit, and intrusion prevention systems.

Original References

For more information regarding CVE-2024-26240 and the associated Secure Boot security feature bypass vulnerability, you can consult the following resources:

1. CVE-2024-26240 - Vulnerability Details and Technical Summary
2. UEFI Secure Boot - Official Specification
3. NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD) - CVE-2024-26240

Conclusion

CVE-2024-26240 is a critical vulnerability in Secure Boot, which can potentially allow unauthorized access and malicious code execution on the targeted systems. To protect against this vulnerability, organizations should stay up-to-date with the latest security patches and follow best security practices to minimize potential risks. Constant vigilance through security audits and vulnerability assessments is vital in maintaining strong cyber defense mechanisms for the modern digital age.

Timeline

Published on: 04/09/2024 17:15:44 UTC
Last modified on: 04/10/2024 13:24:00 UTC