SGXPECTRE New Variant of Spectre that Allows Attackers to Extract Data From Intel SGX Enclaves

A new type of side channel attack(SGXPECTRE) against SGX enclaves revealed by security researchers that could compromise the security of SGX enclaves.

SGX is a hardware extension that provides an isolated shielded environment for software applications to run isolated from other software systems. The SGX extensions available with the recent versions of Intel processors.

Security researchers from Ohio State University discovered this new breed of the spectre attack in SGX that could allow the attackers to extract the secrets from the SGX enclaves. Researchers published a paper on how malicious programs can observe the codes executing SGX enclave.

The traditional side-channel attacks are feasible only if the enclave program already has secure dependent memory access patterns, but SGXPECTRE Attacks are more concerning and it completely compromises the security of the enclaves.

Researchers said “if the enclave code can be influenced by the programs that are running outside of enclave, the control flow of the external program can be temporarily altered to execute instructions that lead to observable cache-state changes.

Also Read Intel Expands Bug Bounty Program Rewards To $250,000 for Meltdown and Spectre Like Vulnerabilities

“We demonstrate end-to-end attacks to show that the adversary could learn the content of the enclave memory, as well as its register values in such attacks,” researchers said.

Such as adversary observing the changes with SGX enclaves completely defeated the confidentiality guarantee that offered by SGX enclaves.

An application that implements Retpoline which allows indirect branches to be isolated from speculative execution is immune to SGXPECTRE Attacks.

Intel is to publish updates for SgxPectre on March 16th, researchers suggested specifying the minimum CPUSVN during their development.

With the vulnerable code patterns inside the SDK runtime libraries, any code developed with Intel’s official SGX SDK will be impacted by the attacks. It doesn’t matter how the enclave program is implemented.

Guru baran

Gurubaran is a co-founder of Cyber Security News and GBHackers On Security. He has 10+ years of experience as a Security Consultant, Editor, and Analyst in cybersecurity, technology, and communications.

Recent Posts

Wireshark 4.2.4 Released: What’s New!

Wireshark stands as the undisputed leader, offering unparalleled tools for troubleshooting, analysis, development, and education. The latest update, Wireshark 4.2.4,…

2 hours ago

Zoom Unveils AI-Powered All-In-One AI Work Workplace

Zoom has taken a monumental leap forward by introducing Zoom Workplace, an all-encompassing AI-powered platform designed to redefine how we…

2 hours ago

iPhone Users Beware! Darcula Phishing Service Attacking Via iMessage

Phishing allows hackers to exploit human vulnerabilities and trick users into revealing sensitive information and grant unauthorized access. It's an…

3 hours ago

2 Chrome Zero-Days Exploited at Pwn2Own 2024: Patch Now

Google has announced a crucial update to its Chrome browser, addressing several vulnerabilities, including two zero-day exploits showcased at the…

6 hours ago

The Moon Malware Hacked 6,000 ASUS Routers in 72hours to Use for Proxy

Black Lotus Labs discovered a multi-year campaign by TheMoon malware targeting vulnerable routers and turning them into bots for the…

6 hours ago

Hackers Actively Exploiting Ray AI Framework Flaw to Hack Thousands of Servers

A critical vulnerability in Ray, an open-source AI framework that is widely utilized across various sectors, including education, cryptocurrency, and…

1 day ago