Driver security error is not serious

Security errors in device driver software can be a potential danger. But Intel's security experts disagree with this view.

In the most recent study, Intel experts searched for security flaws in widely announced Windows device driver software. At the same time, experts also searched for dangerous code that could exploit the above security flaws. But what Intel experts want is to find the problems that arise in operating system-level driver software and malicious exploit code that allow hackers to take the entire Access to system errors.

The search did not produce any results.

In a speech at the NetSec conference organized by the Computer Security Research Institute, David Schulhoff, an Intel senior information security expert, said: "It is very difficult to find something real. This is because there simply aren't many security holes in known Windows kernel-level device drivers. "

Security vulnerabilities that arise in device driver software can be a serious threat to computer security. In theory, hackers can take advantage of these security flaws to gain full access to the system that makes a mistake. But Intel thinks that the risk of being attacked through these security flaws is currently very low because the number of security bugs like this is not known and hackers prefer easy-to-exploit security vulnerabilities. than.

Other security experts agree with Intel's view. "Security errors in device drivers are quite rare and it is more difficult to exploit user mode security errors. If successfully exploited, security errors in device drivers often lead to consequences. "Denial of service attacks," said Monty Ijzerman, senior director of Global Threat Group.

However, recent security bugs in device drivers are attracting much attention. For example, Microsoft is ready to launch a tool that allows developers to program code scanning programs to detect common security vulnerabilities. The main reason why Microsoft is concerned about this issue is the fear that such security vulnerabilities could seriously affect the Windows operating system.

Windows operating systems require driver software to operate built-in hardware devices or connect to a PC. A faulty driver causes a lot of problems. For example, errors in operating system-level drivers can cause serious failures that result in "dead blue screens".

Because device drivers at the operating system kernel level are allowed to run with the highest priority in Windows, security holes in them can be very useful for hackers. If you can successfully exploit the security error at the operating system kernel level, you have the opportunity to become the "king of domination" of that system, Schulhoff said.

Hoang Dung