Intel Chip Vulnerability Could Lead to Stealthy Rootkits
Security researchers have turned the spotlight on an Intel chip vulnerability that could allow hackers unauthorized access to system management mode code. The hack was disclosed recently by the efforts of two separate researchers, but was apparently first uncovered by Intel employees.
Security researchers have released proof of concept exploit code for an Intel chip flaw that could be abused to compromise computer systems with stealthy rootkits.
The attack takes advantage of an Intel CPU caching vulnerability that can be used to get unauthorized access to SMRAM, a protected region of system memory where the system management mode (SMM) code lives. Joanna Rutkowska and Rafal Wojtczuk of Invisible Things Lab released a paper with proof of concept code yesterday.
