CVE-2019-1649
highpriority · track · 27EPSS 0.006 · 49 %ileEURUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
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.
remediations
Vendor fix, mitigation, or workaround guidance, as published by each source.
A vendor fix is available.
- FixedCisco 1000 Series Connected Grid Routers cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco 3000 Series Industrial Security Appliances (ISA)cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco 4000 Series Integrated Services Routerscisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco 5000 Series Enterprise Network Compute System cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco 800 Series Industrial Integrated Services Routers cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ASA with FirePOWER Services cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ASR 900 Series Aggregation Services Routerscisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ASR 920 Series Aggregation Services Routercisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switchescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Firepower 2100 Seriescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Firepower 4100 Series cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Firepower 9000 Seriescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco IC3000 Industrial Compute Gatewaycisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco MDS 9700 Series Multilayer Directors cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco NX-OS System Software in ACI Modecisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Network Convergence System 1000 Seriescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Network Convergence System 2000 Series cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Network Convergence System 5500 Series cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Nexus 3000 Series Switch cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Nexus 7000 Series Switchescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco Nexus 9000 Series Switchescisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco ONS 15454 Series Multiservice Transport Platforms cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - FixedCisco cBR-8 Converged Broadband Routers cisco_csaf
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
https://software.cisco.com - MitigationAllen-Bradley Stratix 5950cisa_csaf_ot
Consult the product documentation for specific features, such as access control lists and deep packet inspection, that may be used to block unauthorized changes, etc.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 6.1–7.2
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (151)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- cisco-sa-20190513-securebootCisco Secure Boot Hardware Tampering Vulnerability2019-05-13csaf · cisco_csafUS
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. Cisco will release software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. This advisory is available at the following link: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-secureboot ["https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-secureboot"]
- ICSA-20-072-03Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley Stratix 59502020-03-12icsa · cisa_csaf_otUS
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to write a modified image to the component.
also known as (4)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (19)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- http://www.cisco.com/cnnvd
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/108350cnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1649cnnvd
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-securebootcnnvd
- https://vigilance.fr/vulnerability/Cisco-overwrite-of-the-firmware-image-29281cnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/80766cnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2019.1680.5/cnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2019.1680.6/cnnvd
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