CVE-2019-0149 in Ethernet 700 Series Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient input validation in i40e driver for Intel(R) Ethernet 700 Series Controllers versions before 2.8.43 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable a denial of service via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0149 resides within the i40e driver component of Intel's Ethernet 700 Series Controllers, representing a critical weakness in input validation mechanisms that can be exploited by authenticated local users. This flaw specifically affects systems running versions prior to 2.8.43 of the driver software, creating a pathway for malicious actors with legitimate access to the system to potentially disrupt normal operations through denial of service attacks. The issue stems from inadequate sanitization of input parameters within the driver's processing logic, which fails to properly validate the legitimacy and integrity of data received from user-space applications or system components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when the i40e driver processes certain network configuration parameters or ioctl commands without sufficient validation checks. This insufficient validation allows crafted input data to bypass normal security boundaries and potentially trigger unexpected behavior within the driver's kernel space operations. The flaw operates at the interface between user-space applications and kernel-space driver components, where improper input handling can lead to memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or other destabilizing conditions that ultimately result in system instability or complete service disruption. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, which encompasses a broad category of issues where input is not properly validated before being processed by applications or systems.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2019-0149 extends beyond simple service interruption as it provides a vector for persistent denial of service attacks that can significantly impact network availability and system reliability. An authenticated user with local access can exploit this vulnerability to cause network interface cards to become unresponsive, leading to complete network connectivity loss for affected systems. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that local access is often easier to obtain than remote access, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where privilege escalation or lateral movement techniques are already being employed. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004: Endpoint Denial of Service, which focuses on causing disruption to endpoint systems through various denial of service mechanisms.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2019-0149 centers on immediate driver updates to version 2.8.43 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected Intel Ethernet 700 Series Controllers, particularly in mission-critical environments where network availability is paramount. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of this vulnerability by reducing the number of authenticated users who can potentially exploit it. Organizations should also consider monitoring network interface behavior for signs of unusual resource consumption or interface instability that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in kernel-space drivers, where improper handling can create persistent security weaknesses that affect system stability and availability.