CVE-2019-0713 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability exists when Microsoft Hyper-V on a host server fails to properly validate input from a privileged user on a guest operating system, aka 'Windows Hyper-V Denial of Service Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-0710, CVE-2019-0711.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0713 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization platform that specifically affects host servers running Windows operating systems. This flaw manifests when the Hyper-V hypervisor fails to adequately validate input data originating from privileged user contexts within guest operating systems, creating a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt normal system operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the trust relationship between host and guest environments, where legitimate privileged access from a guest can be exploited to compromise host system stability. The issue is categorized under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as a weakness related to insufficient input validation, specifically falling within CWE-20 which addresses "Improper Input Validation" and potentially CWE-400 which covers "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" due to the denial of service nature.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2019-0713 occurs when a malicious privileged user within a guest virtual machine manipulates input parameters that are subsequently processed by the Hyper-V host component. This validation failure allows the attacker to craft specific inputs that cause the host system to consume excessive resources or enter an unstable state, ultimately leading to system unresponsiveness or complete service disruption. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1499 technique for "Network Denial of Service" and potentially T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" where malicious input is used to manipulate system behavior. The flaw exists at the hypervisor level where guest-to-host communication channels are processed without proper sanitization of user-supplied data, creating a vector for resource exhaustion attacks that can affect multiple virtual machines running on the compromised host.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity risks for organizations relying heavily on virtualized infrastructure. When exploited, the denial of service condition can affect all virtual machines hosted on the compromised Hyper-V server, potentially causing widespread service degradation across multiple business applications. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only a privileged user context within a guest operating system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers who have already gained some level of access to the guest environment. Organizations utilizing Hyper-V for mission-critical workloads face significant risk exposure, as the impact can cascade through entire virtualized infrastructures and potentially affect data center availability. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for further attack vectors, as initial exploitation may provide a foothold for more sophisticated attacks that could compromise the entire virtualization stack.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0713 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's regular security updates, as the vendor has released specific fixes addressing the input validation weakness in Hyper-V components. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of compromised guest environments, ensuring that privileged guest access is strictly controlled and monitored. Additional defensive measures include implementing resource quotas and monitoring systems that can detect unusual resource consumption patterns indicative of denial of service attacks. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments focusing on virtualization environments and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing hypervisor-level vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure compatibility and prevent unintended service disruptions. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous input patterns from guest systems that might indicate exploitation attempts, providing an additional layer of defense beyond traditional patch management approaches.