CVE-2019-11175 in Baseboard Management Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient input validation in Intel(R) Baseboard Management Controller firmware may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable denial of service via network access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11175 resides within Intel's Baseboard Management Controller firmware, representing a critical weakness in the remote management capabilities of enterprise hardware systems. This flaw manifests as insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify incoming network data, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the firmware's operational behavior. The Baseboard Management Controller serves as a dedicated microcontroller responsible for monitoring and managing hardware components, providing out-of-band management capabilities, and maintaining system health status. When compromised, this controller can potentially grant unauthorized access to critical system functions and data, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent control over enterprise infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of network input parameters within the firmware's communication protocols, specifically affecting the Remote Management Console and associated network interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending malformed or specially crafted network packets to the BMC's accessible ports, potentially triggering unexpected behavior that results in service disruption or complete system denial of service. The vulnerability does not require authentication credentials to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by anyone with network access to the target system. This unauthenticated attack vector significantly broadens the potential threat surface and increases the likelihood of successful exploitation in various network environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11175 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential system instability and complete management interface unavailability. Organizations relying on BMC functionality for remote system monitoring, firmware updates, and hardware diagnostics face significant operational risks when this vulnerability is present. The denial of service condition can prevent legitimate administrators from accessing critical system management features, potentially leading to extended downtime and service interruptions. Additionally, the vulnerability may create opportunities for more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the compromised BMC to establish persistent backdoors or escalate privileges within the network environment. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for data centers, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise environments where continuous system availability is paramount for business operations.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation through firmware updates provided by Intel, as these patches address the underlying input validation flaws in the BMC firmware implementation. Organizations must also implement network segmentation strategies to limit access to BMC interfaces and employ network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which identifies "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental weakness in software design, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1072 for "Software Deployment Tools" when exploited for persistent access. Network administrators should consider implementing firewall rules to restrict BMC communication to trusted administrative networks only, while also establishing robust logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should include comprehensive BMC firmware scanning to identify and remediate similar weaknesses across the enterprise infrastructure.