CVE-2015-7268

Name: CVE-2015-7268
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2017-11-27T22:29:00.287+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

UnknownEPSS 0.33%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2015-7268 is a vulnerability of currently unknown severity. Samsung 850 Pro and PM851 solid-state drives and Seagate ST500LT015 and ST500LT025 hard disk drives, when used on Windows and operating in Opal mode on Lenovo ThinkPad T440s laptops with BIOS 2.32 or ThinkPad W541 laptops with BIOS 2.21, or in Opal or eDrive mode on Dell Latitude E6410 laptops with BIOS A16 or Latitude E6430 laptops with BIOS A16, allow physically proximate attackers to bypass self-encrypting drive (SED) protection by triggering a soft reset and booting from an alternative OS, aka a "Forced Restart Attack.". EPSS estimates a 0.33% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Samsung 850 Pro and PM851 solid-state drives and Seagate ST500LT015 and ST500LT025 hard disk drives, when used on Windows and operating in Opal mode on Lenovo ThinkPad T440s laptops with BIOS 2.32 or ThinkPad W541 laptops with BIOS 2.21, or in Opal or eDrive mode on Dell Latitude E6410 laptops with BIOS A16 or Latitude E6430 laptops with BIOS A16, allow physically proximate attackers to bypass self-encrypting drive (SED) protection by triggering a soft reset and booting from an alternative OS, aka a "Forced Restart Attack."

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.33%

24.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-254

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Samsung	850 Pro Firmware	All versions
Samsung	Pm851 Firmware	All versions
Seagate	St500lt015 Firmware	All versions
Seagate	St500lt025 Firmware	All versions

References

https://www.blackhat.com/docs/eu-15/materials/eu-15-Boteanu-Bypassing-Self-Encrypting-Drives-SED-In-Enterprise-Environments-wp.pdfTechnical Description, Third Party Advisory
https://www.infoworld.com/article/3004913/encryption/self-encrypting-drives-are-hardly-any-better-than-software-based-encryption.htmlTechnical Description, Third Party Advisory
https://www.blackhat.com/docs/eu-15/materials/eu-15-Boteanu-Bypassing-Self-Encrypting-Drives-SED-In-Enterprise-Environments-wp.pdfTechnical Description, Third Party Advisory
https://www.infoworld.com/article/3004913/encryption/self-encrypting-drives-are-hardly-any-better-than-software-based-encryption.htmlTechnical Description, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Nov 27, 2017
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2015-7268?

How severe is CVE-2015-7268?

Severity scoring for CVE-2015-7268 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.33% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2015-7268?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2015-7268?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST