CVE-2019-13120 : What You Need to Know

Amazon FreeRTOS up to and including v1.4.8 is susceptible to a vulnerability that allows attackers to potentially access arbitrary memory contents on a targeted device. This CVE highlights the importance of implementing proper length checking mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access.

Understanding CVE-2019-13120

This CVE pertains to a specific weakness in Amazon FreeRTOS versions up to v1.4.8 that could be exploited by attackers to retrieve sensitive information from a device.

What is CVE-2019-13120?

The absence of length checking in the prvProcessReceivedPublish function in Amazon FreeRTOS versions up to and including v1.4.8 enables attackers to extract arbitrary memory contents from a vulnerable device. By sending a malformed MQTT publish packet to an Amazon IoT Thing connected to a susceptible MQTT message within the application, an attacker with the necessary authorization can trigger this vulnerability.

The Impact of CVE-2019-13120

This vulnerability poses a significant risk as it allows attackers to potentially access sensitive memory contents on a targeted device. Under specific conditions, exploitation of this weakness can lead to unauthorized data retrieval.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-13120

Amazon FreeRTOS vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

The lack of length checking in prvProcessReceivedPublish in Amazon FreeRTOS up to v1.4.8 exposes devices to potential memory leakage, enabling attackers to retrieve arbitrary memory contents.

Affected Systems and Versions

Amazon FreeRTOS versions up to and including v1.4.8

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed MQTT publish packet to an Amazon IoT Thing connected to a vulnerable MQTT message within the application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-13120.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement security updates provided by Amazon FreeRTOS promptly.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.
Restrict access to vulnerable devices.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch IoT devices to address known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments to identify and mitigate potential weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest security patches and updates released by Amazon FreeRTOS to address this vulnerability.