CVE-2017-5927 Intel CVE debrief

Who should care

Security teams responsible for browser runtimes, JavaScript-exposed environments, and ARM-based systems should pay attention, especially where ASLR is relied on as part of defense-in-depth. Because the NVD record lists multiple affected hardware CPEs across vendors, device and platform maintainers should also review whether their specific processors or firmware stacks are in scope.

Technical summary

The vulnerability is described as a cache side-channel created by page table walks performed by the MMU during address translation. Those translation steps can leave observable traces in the last-level cache on modern ARM processors, enabling an attacker to infer sensitive addresses and code pointers from JavaScript. The NVD entry maps the issue to CWE-200 and assigns CVSS v3.0 vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating a network-reachable confidentiality issue with no integrity or availability impact in the scoring model.

Defensive priority

High. The issue is information-disclosure focused but directly targets address randomization defenses, which can meaningfully reduce the effectiveness of later exploitation chains. Prioritize validation of exposure on affected hardware and browser/runtime combinations, then apply any vendor guidance or mitigations referenced by the source links.

Recommended defensive actions

• Review whether affected ARM-based hardware or listed CPEs are in your environment.
• Check browser, JavaScript engine, and platform vendor advisories for mitigations or updates related to MMU/cache side-channel leakage.
• Treat ASLR as insufficient on its own and layer additional exploit mitigations where possible.
• Patch or update affected firmware, OS components, browser components, and microcode/platform packages when vendor guidance is available.
• Monitor for follow-on exploit chains that rely on pointer disclosure or ASLR weakening.

Evidence notes

The debrief is based on the NVD record and the linked third-party research references. NVD lists the weakness as CWE-200 and the CVSS vector as CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. The source description states that MMU page table walks can leave traces in the last-level cache of modern ARM processors and that the side-channel can leak data and code pointers from JavaScript, breaking ASLR. The linked references include the NDSS paper and the VU Security project page, both tagged by the source as technical description and third-party advisory material.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.