CVE-2019-18659
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) protocol allows remote attackers to spoof a Presidential Alert because cryptographic authentication is not used, as demonstrated by MessageIdentifier 4370 in LTE System Information Block 12 (aka SIB12).
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.98%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) protocol allows remote attackers to spoof a Presidential Alert because cryptographic authentication is not used, as demonstrated by MessageIdentifier 4370 in LTE System Information Block 12 (aka SIB12). NOTE: testing inside an RF-isolated shield box suggested that all LTE phones are affected by design (e.g., use of Android versus iOS does not matter); testing in an open RF environment is, of course, contraindicated.
- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
- EPSS
- 0.98% probability · 60th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-290
- Affected
- ready/wireless emergency alerts
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
References
- https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3326082Third Party Advisory
- https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3326082Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.