CVE-2019-12647 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A vulnerability in the Ident protocol handler of Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload. This flaw could lead to a denial of service (DoS) situation by triggering a device reload.

Understanding CVE-2019-12647

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software that could be exploited by an attacker to force a targeted device to reload.

What is CVE-2019-12647?

The vulnerability arises due to incorrect memory structure management in the affected software, resulting in a NULL pointer dereference. By establishing a TCP connection to specific ports and transmitting traffic, an attacker could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of service by reloading the affected device.

The Impact of CVE-2019-12647

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.6, indicating a high severity level. If successfully exploited, it could result in a denial of service (DoS) situation by causing the affected device to reload.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-12647

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the Ident protocol handler of Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software allows an unauthenticated attacker to force a device reload by exploiting memory structure mismanagement.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco IOS
Vendor: Cisco
Versions Affected: Less than 12.1(12) (unspecified version)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Changed
Availability Impact: High
Confidentiality Impact: None
Integrity Impact: None
Vector String: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-12647 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor vendor security advisories for patches and updates.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Apply firewall rules to restrict access to vulnerable services.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify weaknesses.
Educate users and administrators about safe network practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Cisco to address the vulnerability.
Keep systems up to date with the latest security fixes and updates.