CVE-2019-12260
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a buffer overflow in the TCP component of Wind River VxWorks, caused by malformed TCP AO options leading to urgent pointer state confusion. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service. Affects VxWorks 6.9 and vx7 systems using IPNET.
💻 Affected Systems
- Wind River VxWorks
📦 What is this software?
E Series Santricity Os Controller by Netapp
Garrettcom Magnum Dx940e Firmware by Belden
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Sonicos by Sonicwall
Vxworks by Windriver
Vxworks by Windriver
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Denial of service causing system crashes or instability in network services.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if systems are patched, segmented, or have exploit mitigations like ASLR/stack protection.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending malformed TCP packets; no public proof-of-concept has been disclosed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: VxWorks 6.9 SR0640 and vx7 SR0640
Vendor Advisory: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-189842.pdf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Obtain patch from Wind River support. 2. Apply patch to affected VxWorks systems. 3. Reboot systems to activate the fix.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate VxWorks systems from untrusted networks to block malicious TCP packets.
Disable TCP AO Option
allConfigure systems to reject TCP packets with AO options if not required.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit exposure to trusted sources only.
- Monitor network traffic for anomalous TCP packets and system logs for crashes.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check VxWorks version and patch level; systems running 6.9 or vx7 without SR0640 are vulnerable.Check Version:
Use VxWorks shell command 'version' or check system configuration files.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify that patch SR0640 is installed and system is running the updated version.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- System crashes, kernel panics, or unexpected reboots in VxWorks logs.
Network Indicators:
- Unusual TCP packets with malformed AO options on port 0 or other TCP ports.
SIEM Query:
Search for network alerts on TCP anomalies or system event logs indicating VxWorks instability.🔗 References
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-189842.pdf
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-352504.pdf
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-632562.pdf
- https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2019-0009
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190802-0001/
- https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K41190253
- https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=cve&on=view&id=CVE-2019-12260
- https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=security-notices
- https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html
- https://www.windriver.com/security/announcements/tcp-ip-network-stack-ipnet-urgent11/
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-189842.pdf
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-352504.pdf
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-632562.pdf
- https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2019-0009
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190802-0001/
- https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K41190253
- https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=cve&on=view&id=CVE-2019-12260
- https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=security-notices
- https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html
- https://www.windriver.com/security/announcements/tcp-ip-network-stack-ipnet-urgent11/
