CVE-2023-6482 Synaptics Fingerprint Driver Vulnerability

CVE-2023-6482 is a security vulnerability identified in the Synaptics Fingerprint Driver, which is used in various devices for biometric authentication through fingerprint recognition. This vulnerability stems from the use of an encryption key derived from static information, which presents a significant security risk.

The core issue with CVE-2023-6482 is that it allows an attacker to establish a TLS (Transport Layer Security) session with the fingerprint sensor. Once this session is set up, the attacker can send restricted commands to the fingerprint sensor. The primary concern here is that an attacker with physical access to the sensor could potentially enroll a fingerprint into the template database. This unauthorized enrollment could then be used to gain access to the device or system protected by the fingerprint authentication.

The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) v3 base score of 5.2, indicating a medium level of severity. The CVSS vector for this vulnerability is AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N, which translates to the following details:

• Attack Vector (AV): Physical (P), meaning the vulnerability can only be exploited with physical access to the hardware.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L), suggesting that the attack can be carried out with relative ease.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N), indicating that no special privileges are needed for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N), showing that the vulnerability can be exploited without any user interaction.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U), meaning the impact of the exploit does not spread beyond the affected component.
• Confidentiality Impact (C): Low (L), suggesting a limited impact on the confidentiality of the system.
• Integrity Impact (I): High (H), highlighting that the vulnerability can significantly impact the integrity of the system.
• Availability Impact (A): None (N), indicating that the availability of the system is not affected by this vulnerability.

Mitigation/Remediation 

It’s important for organizations and individuals using devices with the Synaptics Fingerprint Driver to be aware of this vulnerability and take appropriate measures to mitigate the risk. This might include updating the driver to a patched version or implementing additional security controls to limit physical access to the fingerprint sensor.