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Capec-532 Detail

Altered Installed BIOS

Detailed Supply Chain Software Likelihood: Low Typical Severity: High

Parents: 444

Threats: T62 T68 T274 T393

Description

An attacker with access to download and update system software sends a maliciously altered BIOS to the victim or victim supplier/integrator, which when installed allows for future exploitation.

Not present

External ID Source Link Description
CAPEC-532 capec https://capec.mitre.org/data/definitions/532.html
T1495 ATTACK https://attack.mitre.org/wiki/Technique/T1495 Firmware Corruption
T1542.001 ATTACK https://attack.mitre.org/wiki/Technique/T1542/001 Pre-OS Boot:System Firmware
REF-439 reference_from_CAPEC http://www.mitre.org/sites/default/files/publications/supply-chain-attack-framework-14-0228.pdf John F. Miller, Supply Chain Attack Framework and Attack Patterns, 2013, The MITRE Corporation
REF-716 reference_from_CAPEC https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/supply-chain-malware Daniel Simpson, Dani Halfin, Andrews Mariano Gorzelany, Beth Woodbury, Supply chain attacks, 2021--10---28, Microsoft

Not present

  1. Advanced knowledge about the installed target system design.
  2. Advanced knowledge about the download and update installation processes.
  3. Access to the download and update system(s) used to deliver BIOS images.

Not present

High
Able to develop a malicious BIOS image with the original functionality as a normal BIOS image, but with added functionality that allows for later compromise and/or disruption.

Not present

  1. An attacker compromises the download and update portion of a manufacturer's web presence, and develops a malicious BIOS that in addition to the normal functionality will also at a specific time of day disable the remote access subsystem's security checks. The malicious BIOS is put in place on the manufacturer's website, the victim location is sent an official-looking email informing the victim of the availability of a new BIOS with bug fixes and enhanced performance capabilities to entice the victim to install the new BIOS quickly. The malicious BIOS is downloaded and installed on the victim's system, which allows for additional compromise by the attacker.