CVE-2019-18216
Last modified
CVE-2019-18216 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The BIOS configuration design on ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS laptops with BIOS 313 relies on the main battery instead of using a CMOS battery, which reduces the value of a protection mechanism in which booting from a USB device is prohibited. Attackers who have physical laptop access can exhaust the main battery to reset the BIOS configuration, and then achieve direct access to the hard drive by booting a live USB OS without disassembling the laptop. EPSS estimates a 0.38% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Description
The BIOS configuration design on ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS laptops with BIOS 313 relies on the main battery instead of using a CMOS battery, which reduces the value of a protection mechanism in which booting from a USB device is prohibited. Attackers who have physical laptop access can exhaust the main battery to reset the BIOS configuration, and then achieve direct access to the hard drive by booting a live USB OS without disassembling the laptop. NOTE: the vendor has apparently indicated that this is "normal" and use of the same battery for the BIOS and the overall system is a "new design." However, the vendor apparently plans to "improve" this an unspecified later time
Metrics
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Asus | Rog Zephyrus M Gm501gs Firmware | All versions |
References
- https://blog.modpr0.be/2019/10/18/asus-rog-bios-reset-on-lost-battery-power/Third Party Advisory
- https://blog.modpr0.be/2019/10/18/asus-rog-bios-reset-on-lost-battery-power/Third Party Advisory
Timeline
- Published
- Last Modified
- Status
- Modified
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