CVE-2019-6192 in Power Management Driver
Summary
by MITRE
A potential vulnerability has been reported in Lenovo Power Management Driver versions prior to 1.67.17.48 leading to a buffer overflow which could cause a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6192 resides within the Lenovo Power Management Driver component that governs power-related functionalities on various Lenovo laptop and desktop systems. This driver serves as a critical interface between the operating system and the hardware power management subsystem, handling tasks such as battery optimization, thermal regulation, and power state transitions. The flaw manifests in versions prior to 1.67.17.48, indicating that Lenovo had not yet addressed this specific security weakness in their driver releases. The affected driver operates at a low level within the system architecture, making it particularly significant for potential exploitation. This type of vulnerability represents a serious concern for system stability and security, as it can potentially be leveraged to disrupt normal system operations or create unauthorized access points.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability occurs when the driver processes certain input data without proper bounds checking mechanisms. Buffer overflow conditions typically arise when more data is written to a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. In the context of the Lenovo Power Management Driver, this flaw likely occurs during the parsing of power configuration parameters or system state information. The vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This weakness creates a potential pathway for arbitrary code execution or system instability, as the overwritten memory regions may contain critical program control data such as return addresses or function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, potentially affecting system reliability and user productivity. When exploited, the buffer overflow could cause the power management driver to crash or behave unpredictably, leading to complete system hangs or forced reboots. Users might experience sudden loss of power management features such as automatic battery optimization, thermal throttling, or power state transitions. The vulnerability's severity is particularly concerning given that power management drivers typically run with elevated privileges and maintain persistent system access. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as the compromised driver could potentially be leveraged to execute malicious code or establish persistence within the system. The denial of service aspect directly impacts system availability and can render devices unusable until the driver is updated or removed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-6192 primarily involve updating to Lenovo Power Management Driver version 1.67.17.48 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive the update promptly. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. The patch process typically involves verifying the current driver version through system information tools or Lenovo's official update channels before applying the security update. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary power management features when not required, implementing strict access controls on system driver installations, and maintaining detailed system inventories to track affected devices. Security teams should also monitor for any related vulnerabilities that may have been discovered during the same vulnerability assessment period, as similar buffer overflow conditions may exist in other Lenovo driver components or system firmware elements.