Vulnerability record · CVE-2019-1649 · published 13 May 2019
CVE-2019-1649: Cisco asa 5500 firmware improper access control vulnerability
Cisco · Asa 5500 Firmware
A vulnerability in the logic that handles access control to one of the hardware components in Cisco's proprietary Secure Boot implementation could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write a modified firmware image to the component. This vulnerability affects multiple Cisco products that support hardware-based Secure Boot functionality. The vulnerability is due to an improper check on the area of code that manages on-premise updates to a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) part of the Secure Boot hardware implementation. An attacker with elevated privileges and access to the underlying operating system that is running on the affected device could exploit this vulnerability by writing a modified firmware image to the FPGA. A successful exploit could either cause the device to become unusable (and require a hardware replacement) or allow tampering with the Secure Boot verification process, which under some circumstances may allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image. An attacker will need to fulfill all the following conditions to attempt to exploit this vulnerability: Have privileged administrative access to the device. Be able to access the underlying operating system running on the device; this can be achieved either by using a supported, documented mechanism or by exploiting another vulnerability that would provide an attacker with such access. Develop or have access to a platform-specific exploit. An attacker attempting to exploit this vulnerability across multiple affected platforms would need to research each one of those platforms and then develop a platform-specific exploit. Although the research process could be reused across different platforms, an exploit developed for a given hardware platform is unlikely to work on a different hardware platform.
Description
A vulnerability in the logic that handles access control to one of the hardware components in Cisco's proprietary Secure Boot implementation could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write a modified firmware image to the component. This vulnerability affects multiple Cisco products that support hardware-based Secure Boot functionality. The vulnerability is due to an improper check on the area of code that manages on-premise updates to a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) part of the Secure Boot hardware implementation. An attacker with elevated privileges and access to the underlying operating system that is running on the affected device could exploit this vulnerability by writing a modified firmware image to the FPGA. A successful exploit could either cause the device to become unusable (and require a hardware replacement) or allow tampering with the Secure Boot verification process, which under some circumstances may allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image. An attacker will need to fulfill all the following conditions to attempt to exploit this vulnerability: Have privileged administrative access to the device. Be able to access the underlying operating system running on the device; this can be achieved either by using a supported, documented mechanism or by exploiting another vulnerability that would provide an attacker with such access. Develop or have access to a platform-specific exploit. An attacker attempting to exploit this vulnerability across multiple affected platforms would need to research each one of those platforms and then develop a platform-specific exploit. Although the research process could be reused across different platforms, an exploit developed for a given hardware platform is unlikely to work on a different hardware platform.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected products
27 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.
15454 M Wse K9 Firmware Cisco
Analog Voice Network Interface Modules Firmware Cisco
Asa 5500 Firmware Cisco
Asr 1000 Series Firmware Cisco
Asr 1001 Firmware Cisco
Catalyst 9800 40 Wireless Controller Firmware Cisco
Catalyst 9800 80 Wireless Controller Firmware Cisco
Encs 5100 Firmware Cisco
Encs 5400 Firmware Cisco
Firepower 2100 Firmware Cisco
Firepower 4000 Firmware Cisco
Firepower 9000 Firmware Cisco
Ic3000 K9 Firmware Cisco
Industrial Security Appliances 3000 Firmware Cisco
Integrated Services Router 4200 Firmware Cisco
Integrated Services Router 4300 Firmware Cisco
Integrated Services Router 4400 Firmware Cisco
Integrated Services Router T1\/E1 Voice And Wan Network Interface Modules Firmware Cisco
Ios Cisco
Ios Xe Cisco
Ios Xr Cisco
Ncs2k Mr Mxp K9 Firmware Cisco
Nx Os Cisco
Ons 15454 Mstp Firmware Cisco
Sm X 1t3\/E3 Firmware Cisco
Supervisor A\+ Firmware Cisco
Supervisor B\+ Firmware Cisco
References
| Link | Tags |
|---|---|
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/108350 | Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry |
| https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-secureboot | Vendor Advisory |
| https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/400865 | Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource |
| https://www.us-cert.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-20-072-03 | Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/108350 | Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry |
| https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-secureboot | Vendor Advisory |
| https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/400865 | Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource |
| https://www.us-cert.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-20-072-03 | Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource |
Track CVE-2019-1649 inside VULONE
Watch it alongside the ransomware crews, C2 infrastructure and forum chatter that reference it, query it through the API and pull it into your SIEM over TAXII.
Related vulnerabilities
Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2019-1649), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.
