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Epyc 8024pn FirmwareOperating system · Amd

CVE-2023-20591

CRITICAL · 10.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-08-13
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges 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 re-initialization of IOMMU during the DRTM event may permit an untrusted platform configuration to persist, allowing an attacker to read or modify hypervisor memory, potentially resulting in loss of confidentiality, 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

This AMD vulnerability involves improper re-initialization of the IOMMU (Input-Output Memory Management Unit) during DRTM (Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement) events. When the IOMMU is not correctly re-initialized, an untrusted platform configuration can persist across the DRTM process, allowing an attacker to potentially read or modify hypervisor memory.

MitigationApply AMD-provided firmware/microcode updates that address the IOMMU re-initialization flaw in DRTM. Verify that systems with IOMMU and DRTM features correctly re-initialize the IOMMU after applying updates.

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 8024pn FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8024p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8124pn FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8124p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8224pn FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8224p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8324pn FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8
Epyc 8324p FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< genoapi_1.0.0.8

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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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 AMD Epyc processor model
    Run 'lscpu' or 'dmidecode -t processor' to confirm the CPU is one of the following: Epyc 8024pn, 8024p, 8124pn, 8124p, 8224pn, 8224p, 8324pn, or 8324p
    Affected if The installed CPU matches one of the affected Epyc model numbers listed in the CVE
  2. Check IOMMU status in the operating system
    On Linux, run 'dmesg | grep -i iommu' or check /sys/kernel/iommu_groups/ for active IOMMU groups. On Windows, check Device Manager under 'System devices' for IOMMU-related entries.
    Affected if IOMMU is enabled and active in the system
  3. Determine firmware version
    Check the system firmware or BIOS version for the GenoAPI component. On Linux, 'dmidecode -t bios' may show version details, or use vendor-specific tools like 'amd_smu' or check the AMD GenoAPI version via 'cat /sys/firmware/efi/fw_platform_size' or contacting hardware vendor management interfaces.
    Affected if The GenoAPI firmware version is lower than 1.0.0.8 (the patched version)
  4. Verify DRTM capability and configuration
    Check if Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement (DRTM) is enabled in the system. On Linux, inspect dmesg for DRTM-related messages or check for 'drnt' kernel parameters. Also verify in UEFI/BIOS settings if DRTM or 'Dynamic attestation' options are available and enabled.
    Affected if DRTM is enabled and the system is using the affected firmware

A system is affected if it runs one of the listed AMD Epyc processor models with GenoAPI firmware version below 1.0.0.8 and has both IOMMU and DRTM features enabled and operational.

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 firmware/microcode updates that address the IOMMU re-initialization flaw in DRTM. Verify that systems with IOMMU and DRTM features correctly re-initialize the IOMMU after applying updates.

Recommended fix High confidence

genoapi_1.0.0.8 or later

  1. Obtain the latest system BIOS/firmware update from AMD for your specific Epyc processor model
  2. Verify the current firmware version using system management tools or BIOS information
  3. Apply the firmware update through the system's firmware/BIOS update mechanism, typically via: a) System BIOS flash utility, b) AMD firmware update tools, or c) BMC/IPMI firmware update interface if using a server platform
  4. After update, verify the firmware has been updated to genoapi_1.0.0.8 or later
  5. Reboot the system to ensure the new firmware is fully initialized
Caveat Firmware updates carry inherent risk and should be performed with proper backup and power redundancy; a failed update could render the system non-functional

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

Fix this in Epyc 8024pn Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,840
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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-2023-20591 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data