The latest security information on Intel® products.
Fuse Encryption Key
Announcement ID:
2025-04-03-001
Issue:
On March 20, 2025, a researcher affiliated with Positive Technologies released a research report titled “Last barrier destroyed, or compromise of Fuse Encryption Key for Intel Security Fuses” with claims they were able to extract the Intel Fuse Encryption Key (FEK) from the Secure Key Storage (SKS). This, combined with an additional report received by Intel in March 2025 was referred to as “a new exploitation vector for previously known vulnerabilities in Intel processors” in the company's press release.
Intel’s analysis of reports received from Positive Technologies researchers has not changed from earlier claims. All reported vulnerabilities (reported between 2017 and 2021) have been mitigated. Systems with all firmware updates applied, and where system manufacturers performed Intel-recommended manufacturing steps, are not susceptible to these vulnerabilities (see recommendations).
More Information:
The external parties mentioned are running tests on systems they have physical access to, which are not up to date with the latest firmware mitigations and do not have Intel recommended Flash Descriptor write protection (which occurs as part of end of manufacturing by system manufacturers) and hardware-enforced Intel® Firmware Version Control enabled (must also be enabled by system manufacturers). Researchers are using previously mitigated vulnerabilities, dating as far back as 2017, chained together to gain access to what we call an Intel Unlocked state (aka “Red Unlocked”) so these findings are not surprising. See “Additional Resources” for links to technical papers describing these issues.
In a recent press release, researchers claim they have found a new exploitation vector to access encryption keys specifically on an Intel Apollo Lake platform without chaining previously mitigated vulnerabilities. Intel has determined that the recommended End of Manufacturing step was not performed by the system manufacturer on the system researchers are using and that physical access is required. Systems with the proper End of Manufacturing step performed and that have the latest firmware updates are not susceptible to this issue.
Resolution/Recommendations:
Customers running systems with the chipsets listed below should:
- Ensure the system manufacturer configured systems at the end of manufacturing to enable Intel® Firmware Version Control to help prevent this issue and other vulnerabilities.
- Determine if their system manufacturers completed the End of Manufacturing process, set Manufacturing Mode to Disabled, and enabled hardware-enforced Intel® Firmware Version Control.
- Ensure all security mitigations provided by Intel to system manufacturers are applied.
- Customers can use Intel’s open source CHIPSEC tool to verify the security configuration of their firmware and determine if end of manufacturing was enabled by the system manufacturer.
- Customers can use Intel’s CSME Version detection tool to verify the firmware version is up to date.
Potentially affected Intel chipsets:
Intel® 100 series chipset
Intel® 200 series chipset
Intel® 300 series chipset
Intel® C230 series chipset
Intel® C240 series chipset
Intel® C420 chipset
Intel® C620 series chipset
Potentially affected SoC products:
Celeron® processor J3000/N3000 series
Celeron® processor J4000/N4000 series
Intel® Pentium® processor J4000/N4000 Series
Intel® Pentium® processor J5000/N5000 series
Intel Atom® processor C3000 series
Intel Atom® processor X E3900/A3900 series
Additional resources:
Intel® Management Engine Critical Firmware Update (Intel-SA-00086)
Introduction to Key Usage in Integrated Firmware Images (IFWI)
Intel Converged Security Management Engine (CSME)
Legal Notices and Disclaimers
Intel provides these materials as-is, with no express or implied warranties.
All products, dates, and figures specified are preliminary based on current expectations, and are subject to change without notice.
Intel products and services described may contain design defects or errors known as errata, which may cause the product to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request.
Intel products that have met their End of Servicing Updates may no longer receive functional and security updates. For additional details on support and servicing, please see this help article.
Intel technologies’ features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software or service activation. Performance varies depending on system configuration. No product or component can be absolutely secure. Check with your system manufacturer or retailer or learn more at http://intel.com.
Some results have been estimated or simulated using internal Intel analysis or architecture simulation or modeling, and provided to you for informational purposes. Any differences in your system hardware, software or configuration may affect your actual performance.
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