CVE-2019-1617 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Standalone NX-OS Mode Fibre Channel over Ethernet NPV Denial of Service Vulnerability

Understanding CVE-2019-1617

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS Software's Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) N-port Virtualization (NPV) protocol, potentially leading to a denial of service (DoS) attack.

What is CVE-2019-1617?

The vulnerability arises from improper handling of FCoE packets when the fcoe-npv feature is uninstalled, allowing an unauthenticated attacker in close proximity to exploit the weakness.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1617

If successfully exploited, this vulnerability could result in a DoS situation by causing packet amplification and interface overload on affected Nexus 9000 Series Switches.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1617

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) N-port Virtualization (NPV) protocol implementation in Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an adjacent attacker to trigger a DoS condition by sending a stream of FCoE frames to the affected device.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Nexus 9000 Series Switches in Standalone NX-OS Mode
Versions Affected:
Less than 7.0(3)I7(5)
Less than 9.2(2)

Exploitation Mechanism

The attacker can exploit the vulnerability by transmitting a continuous stream of FCoE frames from a nearby host to the vulnerable device, causing packet amplification and interface saturation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-1617 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-provided patches or updates to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any signs of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Regularly update and patch network devices to address known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security advisories and updates from Cisco to ensure systems are protected from known vulnerabilities.