CVE-2024-28885: Intel QAT Engine Information Disclosure

CVE-2024-28885 Overview

CVE-2024-28885 is an observable discrepancy vulnerability in the Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) Engine for OpenSSL software before version v1.6.1. The flaw allows a remote attacker with network access to infer sensitive information by observing timing or behavioral differences in cryptographic operations. This class of weakness falls under [CWE-203], which covers observable differences in behavior that leak information to unauthorized actors.

The Intel QAT Engine integrates with OpenSSL to offload cryptographic workloads to Intel QuickAssist Technology hardware accelerators. Any discrepancy in the engine's response patterns can be used as a side channel against cryptographic material.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can potentially extract confidential cryptographic data by analyzing observable behavioral differences in the QAT Engine without authentication or user interaction.

Affected Products

Intel QAT Engine for OpenSSL versions prior to v1.6.1
Systems using Intel QuickAssist Technology hardware with vulnerable engine versions
OpenSSL deployments linked against the affected Intel QAT Engine library

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-13 - CVE CVE-2024-28885 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-28885

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an observable discrepancy, a form of side-channel weakness, in the Intel QAT Engine for OpenSSL. Cryptographic implementations must execute in constant time and produce uniform behavior regardless of secret inputs. When an engine exposes timing variations, response size differences, or distinct error paths based on secret data, attackers can derive information about keys, plaintext, or internal state.

In this case, an attacker interacting with a service that offloads cryptography through the QAT Engine can collect responses over the network and perform statistical analysis. Over many iterations, the attacker can reconstruct secret material or distinguish ciphertext properties. The confidentiality impact is high while integrity and availability remain unaffected.

Root Cause

The root cause is a non-uniform code path in the pre-v1.6.1 QAT Engine that produces measurable differences when processing distinct cryptographic inputs. The implementation did not fully normalize execution behavior, violating the constant-time requirement for secure cryptographic primitives [CWE-203].

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to a service using the vulnerable QAT Engine for cryptographic operations. No authentication or user interaction is needed. The attacker sends crafted cryptographic requests, measures the responses, and applies cryptanalysis to extract secrets. Attack complexity is high because the attacker must collect sufficient samples and filter network jitter.

No public proof-of-concept exploit has been published, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to the Intel Security Advisory SA-01177 for vendor-provided technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-28885

Indicators of Compromise

Unusually high volumes of repetitive cryptographic requests originating from a single or small set of remote sources targeting services using Intel QAT acceleration.
Sustained connections performing TLS handshakes or decryption operations with abnormal timing patterns.
Presence of Intel QAT Engine for OpenSSL versions below v1.6.1 on production cryptographic services.

Detection Strategies

Inventory all hosts loading the qatengine shared library and verify the installed version against v1.6.1 or later.
Review OpenSSL engine configuration files such as /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf to identify systems configured to use the QAT Engine.
Correlate network telemetry for abnormal patterns of cryptographic requests that resemble side-channel measurement campaigns.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on repeated low-level TLS or asymmetric cryptography operations from the same remote peer across short time windows.
Monitor package management logs for installations or upgrades of qatengine and qatlib packages.
Track vendor advisories from Intel for subsequent updates to the QAT Engine component.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-28885

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade the Intel QAT Engine for OpenSSL to version v1.6.1 or later on all affected systems.
Enumerate services that offload cryptographic operations through the QAT Engine and prioritize patching internet-exposed workloads.
Rotate long-lived cryptographic keys used on vulnerable services if exposure to untrusted networks has occurred.

Patch Information

Intel has released a fixed version of the QAT Engine for OpenSSL in v1.6.1. Review the Intel Security Advisory SA-01177 for the authoritative remediation guidance and download links.

Workarounds

Disable the QAT Engine in OpenSSL configuration until upgrade is possible, falling back to software cryptography.
Restrict network reachability of services using the vulnerable engine through firewall rules and network segmentation.
Terminate TLS at a frontend proxy that does not depend on the vulnerable QAT Engine to shield backend workloads.

bash

# Verify installed Intel QAT Engine version and remove engine reference from OpenSSL config
rpm -q qatengine || dpkg -l | grep qatengine
openssl engine -t -c qatengine
# To disable, comment out engine lines in /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf and restart dependent services