CVE-2025-23270: NVIDIA Jetson Linux Info Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-23270 Overview

CVE-2025-23270 is a side channel vulnerability affecting NVIDIA Jetson Linux in the UEFI Management mode component. This BIOS/UEFI vulnerability allows an unprivileged local attacker with physical access to potentially expose sensitive information through a side channel attack. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to code execution, data tampering, denial of service, and information disclosure.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability affects the trusted execution environment of NVIDIA Jetson embedded systems. An attacker with physical access could potentially compromise the integrity of the UEFI firmware, leading to persistent compromise of the device's boot process and exposure of sensitive cryptographic material or system configuration data.

Affected Products

• NVIDIA Jetson Linux (UEFI Management mode component)
• NVIDIA Jetson embedded platform devices with vulnerable UEFI firmware

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-07-17 - CVE-2025-23270 published to NVD
• 2025-07-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-23270

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists in the UEFI Management mode of NVIDIA Jetson Linux. The flaw is classified under CWE-392 (Missing Report of Error Condition), indicating that the system fails to properly handle or report certain error conditions, which can be exploited through side channel techniques to extract sensitive information.

The vulnerability requires physical access to the target device, which somewhat limits the attack surface. However, the scope is changed (as indicated in the attack characteristics), meaning a successful exploit could affect resources beyond the vulnerable component's security scope. This is particularly concerning in embedded systems like Jetson devices where UEFI firmware manages critical boot security functions.

UEFI Management mode (also known as System Management Mode or SMM) operates at a higher privilege level than the operating system, making vulnerabilities at this level particularly dangerous. Side channel attacks at this level could potentially leak cryptographic keys, firmware secrets, or other sensitive data processed during the boot sequence.

Root Cause

The root cause is related to improper handling of error conditions (CWE-392) within the UEFI Management mode implementation. The vulnerability allows information to leak through observable side effects such as timing variations, power consumption patterns, or electromagnetic emissions during security-sensitive operations. The missing error reporting mechanism creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can infer sensitive information by monitoring these side channels during UEFI operations.

Attack Vector

The attack requires physical access to the target NVIDIA Jetson device. An attacker would need to be able to interact with the device during the boot process or while UEFI Management mode operations are being executed. The high attack complexity indicates that successful exploitation requires specific conditions to be met, such as precise timing measurements or specialized equipment to capture side channel emissions.

The attacker does not require any privileges or user interaction to execute this attack, but must have physical proximity to the target device. Once the side channel information is captured, the attacker could potentially extract sensitive data that could be used for further attacks, including code execution within the UEFI context or tampering with boot configuration data.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23270

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected modifications to UEFI firmware configuration or boot variables
• Unusual physical access patterns to Jetson devices in secure environments
• Signs of tampering with device enclosures or debug interfaces
• Anomalous boot behavior or unexpected changes to Secure Boot configuration

Detection Strategies

• Implement physical access monitoring and logging for all NVIDIA Jetson devices in production environments
• Enable UEFI firmware integrity verification and monitor for unexpected changes to boot configuration
• Deploy host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to detect post-exploitation activities
• Monitor for unauthorized access to debug interfaces (JTAG, UART) commonly used in physical attacks

Monitoring Recommendations

• Establish baseline UEFI configuration hashes and regularly verify firmware integrity
• Implement tamper-evident seals on device enclosures in sensitive deployments
• Monitor system logs for boot anomalies or unexpected UEFI variable modifications
• Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions on Jetson devices to detect post-compromise activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23270

Immediate Actions Required

• Review the NVIDIA Support Article for specific patch information and affected firmware versions
• Inventory all NVIDIA Jetson devices in your environment to assess exposure
• Restrict physical access to affected devices until patches can be applied
• Verify current firmware versions against NVIDIA's security advisory

Patch Information

NVIDIA has released information regarding this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the official NVIDIA Support Article for detailed patch information, including specific firmware versions affected and remediation instructions. Apply all available security updates to UEFI firmware components as directed by NVIDIA.

Workarounds

• Implement strict physical access controls to limit unauthorized access to Jetson devices
• Enable Secure Boot and verify its configuration to mitigate potential post-exploitation persistence
• Disable unnecessary debug interfaces and physical connectors when not required for legitimate operations
• Consider network segmentation to limit the impact if a device is compromised through this vulnerability
• Deploy tamper detection mechanisms for devices in physically accessible locations