dbcve.org
Ryzen 7 5700g FirmwareOperating system · Amd

CVE-2023-20579

MEDIUM · 6.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-02-13
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
Improper Access Control in the AMD SPI protection feature may allow a user with Ring0 (kernel mode) privileged access to bypass protections potentially resulting in loss of integrity and availability.

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 · high confidence

AMD SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) flash protection has an improper access control vulnerability where a Ring0 (kernel-mode) privileged attacker can bypass built-in SPI protection mechanisms, potentially allowing unauthorized modification of firmware/BIOS with impact to system integrity and availability.

MitigationApply AMD-provided BIOS/firmware updates that address the improper access control in the SPI protection feature; verify that SPI write protections are properly enforced after the update.

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
Ryzen 7 5700g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 7 5700ge FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 5 5600g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 5 5600gt FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 5 5600ge FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 5 5500gt FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 3 5300g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c
Ryzen 3 5300ge FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c

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
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 CPU model
    Run system information utility (such as 'lscpu' on Linux, CPU-Z on Windows, or check BIOS/system information) to confirm the exact AMD Ryzen processor model
    Affected if The CPU is NOT one of: Ryzen 7 5700g, Ryzen 7 5700ge, Ryzen 5 5600g, Ryzen 5 5600gt, Ryzen 5 5600ge, Ryzen 5 5500gt, Ryzen 3 5300g, or Ryzen 3 5300ge - these are the only affected models
  2. Determine the BIOS/firmware version
    Check the installed BIOS or firmware version using system information tools (such as 'dmidecode -s bios-version' on Linux, or BIOS/UEFI setup screen, or manufacturer utility on Windows)
    Affected if Unable to retrieve a BIOS/firmware version string containing 'comboam4v2pi' - the vulnerability applies specifically to this firmware family
  3. Compare firmware version against affected range
    Locate the comboam4v2pi firmware version string (for example: comboam4v2pi_1.0.8.b or similar) and compare the numeric portion against 1.2.0.c
    Affected if The firmware version string is present and its numeric version is LESS than 1.2.0.c (for example: 1.0.8.b, 1.1.0, 1.2.0.a, etc.)
  4. Verify SPI write protection status (optional context)
    If accessible in BIOS/UEFI settings, check the SPI flash protection configuration under security or advanced settings - look for options like 'SPI write protection' or 'BIOS protection' settings
    Affected if SPI write protection is DISABLED or not enforced - the vulnerability allows bypassing this protection

The system is affected if it contains an AMD Ryzen 5000g-series processor (specifically the listed models) AND the comboam4v2pi firmware version is earlier than 1.2.0.c, allowing a privileged attacker to bypass SPI flash protection.

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

Apply AMD-provided BIOS/firmware updates that address the improper access control in the SPI protection feature; verify that SPI write protections are properly enforced after the update.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c or later

  1. Identify the specific motherboard or system make and model containing the affected Ryzen processor
  2. Visit the AMD website (www.amd.com) or the motherboard manufacturer's support page to locate the latest BIOS/firmware update
  3. Search for the specific firmware version 'comboam4v2pi_1.2.0.c' or newer for the identified product
  4. Download the appropriate BIOS update file from the manufacturer's support page
  5. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to update the BIOS - typically via USB flash within the BIOS setup, or using manufacturer-provided flashing utilities within the operating system
  6. Verify the BIOS/firmware has been successfully updated to version 1.2.0.c or later
Caveat BIOS updates carry a risk of system damage if interrupted; ensure stable power and follow manufacturer instructions precisely

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

Fix this in Ryzen 7 5700g Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
36.0 hours of engineering $6,400
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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-2023-20579 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