CVE-2021-28685 : What You Need to Know

AsIO2_64.sys and AsIO2_32.sys in ASUS GPUTweak II before 2.3.0.3 allow low-privileged users to interact directly with physical memory and MSR registers, potentially enabling them to escalate privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM via a DeviceIoControl.

Understanding CVE-2021-28685

This CVE involves a vulnerability in ASUS GPUTweak II that allows unauthorized access to physical memory, which can lead to privilege escalation.

What is CVE-2021-28685?

CVE-2021-28685 relates to ASUS GPUTweak II, permitting low-privileged users to manipulate physical memory and MSR registers, potentially granting them elevated system privileges unauthorizedly.

The Impact of CVE-2021-28685

The security flaw in ASUS GPUTweak II could allow malicious users to achieve NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM privileges through a specific driver, posing a severe security risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-28685

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

ASUS GPUTweak II allows low-privileged users to directly interact with physical memory and MSR registers, creating a pathway for achieving system-level privileges through DeviceIoControl.

Affected Systems and Versions

ASUS GPUTweak II versions prior to 2.3.0.3 are vulnerable to CVE-2021-28685, potentially impacting systems where the software is installed.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging certain driver routines that map physical memory into the virtual address space of a process, unauthorized users can access and manipulate memory regions, leading to the exploitation of MSR registers and privilege escalation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Outlined here are the necessary steps to address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-28685 in ASUS GPUTweak II.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update ASUS GPUTweak II to version 2.3.0.3 or later to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation by unauthorized entities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strict system access controls, regular security updates, and routine monitoring can enhance overall system security and prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security patches and updates from ASUS to ensure that known vulnerabilities are promptly addressed, reducing the risk of exploitation.