CVE-2019-1732 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Cisco NX-OS Software Remote Package Manager Command Injection Vulnerability

Understanding CVE-2019-1732

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the Cisco NX-OS Software's Remote Package Manager (RPM) subsystem that could allow an authenticated local attacker with administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands.

What is CVE-2019-1732?

The vulnerability is related to a time-of-check, time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition, enabling the attacker to corrupt local variables, potentially leading to arbitrary command injection. The absence of a proper locking mechanism for critical variables is the root cause of this issue.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1732

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.4, indicating a medium severity level. It poses a high risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, requiring high privileges for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1732

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit the RPM subsystem by executing RPM-related CLI commands, leading to arbitrary command injection.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco NX-OS Software
Vendor: Cisco
Versions Affected: Less than 8.3(1)

Exploitation Mechanism

The attacker needs to authenticate to the affected device and issue a series of RPM-related CLI commands to exploit the vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-1732 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-provided patches or updates promptly.
Monitor network traffic for signs of exploitation.
Restrict access to vulnerable systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address known vulnerabilities.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit access rights.
Conduct security training to educate users on identifying and reporting suspicious activities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security advisories from Cisco and apply patches as soon as they are available.