CVE-2023-22311 is a vulnerability identified in Intel(R) Optane(TM) PMem 100 Series Management Software versions prior to 01.00.00.3547. The flaw arises from improper access control mechanisms within the management software, which governs the operation and configuration of Intel Optane Persistent Memory modules. Specifically, this vulnerability allows an authenticated user with local access to the system to escalate their privileges beyond their assigned rights. The vulnerability requires local authentication and user interaction, indicating that an attacker must already have some level of access to the affected system. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.7 reflects a medium severity rating, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges required (PR:L), and user interaction required (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated high, meaning successful exploitation could lead to significant unauthorized access or control over system resources managed by the Optane PMem software. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patch links were provided in the source data, though it is implied that version 01.00.00.3547 or later addresses the issue. The vulnerability is particularly relevant to environments utilizing Intel Optane Persistent Memory 100 Series, which is often deployed in enterprise-grade servers and data centers to enhance memory capacity and performance. The improper access control could allow a malicious insider or compromised local user to gain elevated privileges, potentially leading to unauthorized configuration changes, data exposure, or disruption of memory management functions.

For European organizations, especially those operating data centers, cloud infrastructure, or high-performance computing environments that deploy Intel Optane Persistent Memory 100 Series, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk. Escalation of privilege vulnerabilities can enable attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or disrupt critical services. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, exploitation could lead to data breaches, service outages, or manipulation of memory management, which may affect business continuity and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. The requirement for local authentication limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged. Organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, research, and government, which often use advanced memory technologies for performance optimization, may be particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests the threat is currently theoretical but warrants proactive mitigation to prevent future exploitation.

European organizations should prioritize updating Intel Optane PMem 100 Series Management Software to version 01.00.00.3547 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. In addition to patching, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges, ensuring that only trusted administrators have access to systems running the affected software. Employing robust authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication for local logins, can reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Monitoring and auditing local user activities on servers utilizing Optane PMem can help detect suspicious privilege escalation attempts. Network segmentation and limiting physical access to critical servers can further reduce the attack surface. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, user training to recognize and report suspicious activity is also beneficial. Finally, organizations should maintain up-to-date inventories of hardware and software assets to quickly identify affected systems and ensure timely remediation.