CVE-2019-12263 in VxWorks
Summary
by MITRE
Wind River VxWorks 6.9.4 and vx7 has a Buffer Overflow in the TCP component (issue 4 of 4). There is an IPNET security vulnerability: TCP Urgent Pointer state confusion due to race condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12263 affects Wind River VxWorks versions 6.9.4 and vx7, specifically within the TCP component of the IPNET security framework. This represents a critical buffer overflow condition that stems from a race condition in the TCP urgent pointer state management mechanism. The flaw manifests as a state confusion issue that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability when processing malformed TCP packets containing urgent data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the TCP stack's handling of urgent pointer fields within TCP segments. When multiple threads or processes simultaneously access and modify the urgent pointer state without proper synchronization mechanisms, a race condition occurs that can result in memory corruption. The buffer overflow typically occurs when the system attempts to process TCP urgent data that exceeds allocated buffer boundaries, particularly during concurrent access scenarios involving urgent pointer manipulation. This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-362, which addresses concurrent execution issues leading to race conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-12263 extends beyond simple system crashes or denial of service conditions. Attackers can potentially leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected process, which typically runs at kernel level in embedded systems. The race condition nature means that successful exploitation may require precise timing and specific network conditions, but once achieved, the consequences can include complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor establishment. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in industrial control systems, automotive applications, and network infrastructure devices where VxWorks is commonly deployed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-12263 should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches or firmware updates that address the race condition in TCP urgent pointer handling. Organizations must also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic. Monitoring for unusual TCP traffic patterns, particularly those involving urgent pointer manipulation, can help detect exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 for execution techniques and T1203 for exploitation of remote services, making it relevant to both defensive and offensive security operations. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed TCP packets targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.