CVE-2019-9019 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The USB charging/data-transfer capability of the British Airways Entertainment System on Boeing 777-36N(ER) aircraft lacks safeguards against USB keyboards and mice, making it vulnerable to attacks by physically proximate attackers.

Understanding CVE-2019-9019

What is CVE-2019-9019?

The vulnerability in the British Airways Entertainment System allows attackers near the device to exploit the USB charging/data-transfer feature with USB keyboards and mice, potentially triggering buffer overflows or other attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2019-9019

The vulnerability enables attackers to execute unexpected attacks on the Entertainment System, compromising its applications and potentially causing system instability.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-9019

Vulnerability Description

Lack of safeguards in the USB charging/data-transfer feature of the British Airways Entertainment System
Vulnerability to attacks using USB keyboards and mice
Possibility of triggering buffer overflows and other unspecified effects

Affected Systems and Versions

Boeing 777-36N(ER) aircraft and potentially other models

Exploitation Mechanism

Physically proximate attackers can exploit the USB feature with keyboards and mice
Mouse actions like copy-and-paste can trigger buffer overflows in the Chat application

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable USB charging/data-transfer feature if not essential
Implement physical security measures to restrict unauthorized access

Long-Term Security Practices

Regular security assessments and updates for Entertainment Systems
Educate users on potential risks and security best practices

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by British Airways for the Entertainment System