A flaw was found in grub2. Grub's dump command is not blocked when grub is in lockdown mode, which allows the user to read any memory information, and an attacker may leverage this in order to extract signatures, salts, and other sensitive information from the memory. This vulnerability has been classified as medium severity due to its potential impact on confidentiality.
With a CVSS score of 4.4, the vulnerability poses a risk to organizations that utilize grub2 for boot management. The attack vector is local, indicating that an attacker would need to have access to the affected system to exploit this vulnerability. The requirement for high privileges further complicates the exploitability but does not eliminate the risk entirely.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately as this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data. In addition, no public exploit has been confirmed at this time, but the existence of this vulnerability raises significant concerns for system integrity and confidentiality.
The vulnerability was published on February 19, 2025, and is currently marked as deferred, suggesting that there may be ongoing discussions or evaluations regarding its impact and remediation. Security teams should remain vigilant and monitor for updates.
Vulnerability Details
The official description of this vulnerability states: 'A flaw was found in grub2. Grub's dump command is not blocked when grub is in lockdown mode, which allows the user to read any memory information, and an attacker may leverage this in order to extract signatures, salts, and other sensitive information from the memory.' This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-501.
The CVSS vector string for this vulnerability is: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating a local attack vector and low complexity. The high privilege requirement means that attackers must have significant access rights to exploit this vulnerability effectively.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability is related to the handling of the dump command in grub2's lockdown mode. The command should ideally be restricted when the system is secured, but its current implementation does not enforce this restriction adequately. As a result, sensitive memory contents can be exposed.
The attack vector is local, meaning that an attacker must have physical or administrative access to the system. The attack complexity is low, which indicates that the exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical skills. High privileges are required to execute the dump command, which limits the scope of potential attackers.
User interaction is not required, as the attacker could execute the command directly if they have the necessary privileges. The confidentiality impact is high, as the ability to read sensitive memory information could lead to data breaches or unauthorized access to private keys and cryptographic materials.
The integrity and availability impacts are assessed as none, indicating that the vulnerability does not compromise system integrity or availability directly. However, the potential loss of confidentiality poses significant risks to organizations.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in memory, which can compromise cryptographic keys and other critical data. As grub2 is commonly used in various environments, the potential blast radius is considerable. Organizations that rely on grub2 for system boot management should recognize the urgency of addressing this vulnerability.
Given the CVSS score of 4.4 and the fact that it is not currently listed in the KEV database, organizations should schedule remediation in their patch cycles. The presence of this vulnerability highlights the need for ongoing vigilance and proactive security measures.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions prior to vendor patch are affected by this vulnerability. Organizations should consult their grub2 documentation for specific patch updates.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. Refer to the vendor's advisory for specific patch information. If patches are not available, consider implementing workarounds, such as disabling the dump command in grub2.
For enhanced security, configuration hardening is advised, along with network controls to monitor access to grub2 functionalities.
Organizations should validate remediation through penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses.
Detection Guidance
Monitor logs for unusual access patterns that may indicate attempts to execute the dump command in grub2. Behavioral anomalies related to privileged user actions should be flagged for investigation.
System changes should also be monitored closely for unauthorized alterations that could indicate exploitation attempts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of this vulnerability lies in its potential to expose sensitive information if not adequately addressed. Security teams should evaluate the implications of allowing unrestricted access to memory information.
This incident represents a trend towards vulnerabilities in system boot management tools that could be exploited for data extraction. Organizations are urged to review their security postures regarding boot loaders and associated components.
For further insight, security teams can refer to best practices for penetration testing methodology and vulnerability management program design to better understand proactive measures.
Lastly, regular security assessments and audits can help organizations stay ahead of vulnerabilities such as CVE-2025-1118.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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