Vulnerable CSME firmware in the A515-54G.

If I'm not mistaken, CSME firmware has never been upgraded for the A515-54G. Other manufacturers include CSME firmware in their BIOS/UEFI firmware releases so that it is also updated whenever the BIOS/UEFI code is. However as far as I can tell Acer BIOS/UEFI updates for this model don't contain any CSME code, but there's also no release for it in the drivers section of the support page.

MEI drivesr are provided, under the "Turbo Boost Driver" name, but firmware remains untouched; which leads to vulnerable systems. Because no upgrade was ever issued whenever new CSME vulnerabilities are discovered they keep piling up. Here is the latest CSME validation tool in case anyone wishes to check their systems: CSME Version Detection Tool

Would it be possible for a moderator or member of an Acer team to let the appropriate department know of this? Maybe it could be addressed in the next BIOS/UEFI update, or released as a separate download; but it is important.

Accepted answers

All comments

Commodore_1995#

It would be interesting if you informed the version of the bios. In addition, the changelog may not show all updates that a given version of the bios contains.

aphanic

Oh! It slipped my mind, I'm running on the latest available for the machine, it's 1.18. It doesn't really matter at the moment though, firmware updates don't seem to contain any CSME, PMC or PCHC code.

Commodore_1995#

I suggest you read this topic: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/590862/how-to-update-intel-csme-to-13-0-21-1314

aphanic

Thanks for the link @egydiocoelho! I see the A515-54G is not isolated then, there's at least another model without CSME firmware releases.

It seems in the end @Acer-Manny provided firmware upgrades via PM, I wonder why they're not released through the support pages instead. Since there may be manufacturer modifications in them, using those found around the web like the last post suggests in that thread may not be completely safe.

I hope someone at Acer is able to notify the appropriate team and they're released in the product page, if many people were to ask for them people in the forum wouldn't be able to cope with it.

Quick Links

Top Members

Weekly

Puraw 125

StevenGen 85

Alejandro_AC 75

Kno63 60

Jack22 55

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™