In March, MSI experienced a security breach that resulted in the loss of up to 1.5TB of sensitive data. However, the impact of this breach extends beyond just MSI.
As a result of the breach, Intel is now conducting an investigation into a major leak of Intel Boot Guard keys. The full extent of the damage is still unknown, but the worst-case scenario is that compromised devices are now rendered vulnerable due to the compromised security feature.
This entire situation seems to have originated from the MSI data breach earlier this year. The Money Message extortion gang targeted MSI, claiming that they had successfully stolen approximately 1.5TB of sensitive data. They demanded a ransom of $4 million to avoid making the data public.
Despite MSI’s refusal to pay the ransom, the hacker gang proceeded to leak the firmware source code of MSI’s motherboards.
According to Alex Matrosov, the CEO of Binarly, a security platform, the source code may have contained highly sensitive information, including Intel Boot Guard private keys for 116 MSI products.
Intel Boot Guard is designed to prevent the installation of malicious firmware on Intel hardware. The fact that it has now been compromised makes it as much of an issue for Intel as it is for MSI. If threat actors gain access to these keys, they could potentially create powerful malware capable of bypassing Intel’s security measures.
Matrosov suggests that Intel Boot Guard may now be ineffective on certain Intel processors, such as Tiger Lake, Alder Lake, and Raptor Lake chips, when running on MSI-based devices.
In a statement to Bleeping Computer, Intel acknowledged the reports and stated, “Intel is aware of these reports and actively investigating. There have been researcher claims that private signing keys are included in the data, including MSI OEM Signing Keys for Intel BootGuard. It should be noted that Intel BootGuard OEM keys are generated by the system manufacturer, and these are not Intel signing keys.”
It is difficult to determine the full impact of this leak. It is possible that it has opened the door to the creation of malware that can bypass Intel Boot Guard, posing a significant threat to affected devices.
If you are using a build with an MSI motherboard and an Intel chip, it is important to take the necessary security precautions to protect yourself. This includes avoiding downloading files from untrusted sources and regularly scanning your computer with antivirus software. We will need to wait for Intel and MSI to provide further information on the data breach to understand the next steps.
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Deepak Sen is a tech enthusiast who covers the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets. His articles provide readers with a glimpse into the ever-evolving world of technology.
