dbcve.org
Epyc 7601 FirmwareOperating system · Amd

CVE-2020-12944

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-11-16
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Insufficient validation of BIOS image length by ASP Firmware could lead to arbitrary code execution.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

This is a firmware vulnerability in ASP (AMD Secure Processor) Firmware where insufficient validation of BIOS image length could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the pre-OS environment, potentially leading to full system compromise.

MitigationUpdate the ASP Firmware to a version that properly validates BIOS image length. This typically requires applying a BIOS/UEFI update from the system vendor that includes the patched ASP firmware.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Epyc 7601 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7551p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7551 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7501 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7451 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7401 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7371 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g
Epyc 7351p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the installed AMD Epyc processor model
    Run a system information command such as 'dmidecode -t processor' or check the system inventory to determine the exact AMD Epyc CPU model number (e.g., 7601, 7551p, 7551, 7501, 7451, 7401, 7371, or 7351p)
    Affected if The processor is one of the affected Epyc models listed in the CVE (7601, 7551p, 7551, 7501, 7451, 7401, 7371, or 7351p)
  2. Check the AMD Secure Processor firmware version
    Use an AMD-provided tool or UEFI/BIOS interface to query the ASP firmware version. The version string follows the format 'naplespi-sp3_X.Y.Z.W' where the full version string is displayed
    Affected if The displayed ASP firmware version is a version string that begins with 'naplespi-sp3_' and is lexicographically or numerically less than 'naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g'
  3. Confirm the BIOS image length validation behavior
    This check requires examining the firmware behavior or release notes. The vulnerability exists specifically when the ASP firmware does not properly validate BIOS image length before loading, which is inherent to all versions prior to the patched release
    Affected if The installed ASP firmware version is any build earlier than naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g, indicating the validation fix has not been applied

A system is affected if it contains an AMD Epyc processor from the listed models AND is running ASP firmware version earlier than naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update the ASP Firmware to a version that properly validates BIOS image length. This typically requires applying a BIOS/UEFI update from the system vendor that includes the patched ASP firmware.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g or later firmware version

  1. Identify the specific AMD Epyc processor model (7601, 7551p, 7551, 7501, 7451, 7401, 7371, or 7351p) in your system
  2. Check the current firmware version by accessing the BMC/IPMI interface or using AMD's system management tools
  3. Navigate to www.amd.com and locate the firmware download section for AMD Epyc processors
  4. Download the Naplespi-sp3 firmware version naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g or later for your specific processor model
  5. Review AMD's firmware update documentation and ensure the system is properly backed up
  6. Apply the firmware update through the BMC/IPMI interface or using AMD's recommended update procedure, following all safety warnings
  7. After update completion, verify the firmware version has been successfully updated to naplespi-sp3_1.0.0.g or later
Caveat Firmware updates carry inherent risk; ensure proper power backup and follow AMD's update procedure to avoid system instability

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Epyc 7601 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-12944 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data