CVE-2019-11178 in Baseboard Management Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Stack overflow in Intel(R) Baseboard Management Controller firmware may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure and/or denial of service via network access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11178 represents a critical stack overflow condition within Intel's Baseboard Management Controller firmware implementation. This flaw exists in the remote management capabilities of enterprise server hardware, specifically affecting systems that utilize Intel's BMC firmware for out-of-band management functions. The stack overflow occurs when processing network requests, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by authenticated users with network access to the affected systems. The vulnerability resides in the firmware layer that manages system monitoring, logging, and remote administration functions, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where BMC interfaces are commonly exposed to network traffic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the firmware's network protocol handlers. When legitimate network requests are processed through the BMC's communication interfaces, the firmware fails to properly validate the size and structure of incoming data payloads. This allows an authenticated attacker to craft malicious requests that exceed the allocated stack buffer space, causing a stack overflow condition that can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw specifically manifests when the BMC processes certain types of management commands or configuration requests, particularly those involving extended data structures or malformed parameters. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through legitimate system interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11178 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it creates opportunities for information disclosure and potential system compromise. An authenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive system information from memory locations, potentially accessing cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential data stored within the BMC's memory space. The denial of service component of this vulnerability could render the management interface unavailable, effectively cutting off legitimate administrators from critical system monitoring and control functions. In enterprise environments where BMC interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks or where multiple administrative users have access, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to both operational continuity and security posture. The attack requires only network access and authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where BMC interfaces are not properly secured or segmented from core network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from Intel, which address the specific stack overflow conditions through proper input validation and buffer management. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate BMC interfaces from general network traffic, ensuring that only authorized management systems can access these critical interfaces. Access control measures should be enhanced to limit authentication credentials to only those users who require administrative access, while implementing multi-factor authentication where possible. Regular monitoring of BMC network traffic should be established to detect anomalous patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and network intrusion detection systems should be configured to alert on suspicious management protocol traffic. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Intel BMC firmware versions and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk assessment. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing robust network security controls around remote management interfaces, particularly in environments where physical security measures may be insufficient to prevent unauthorized access to critical system components.