CVE-2019-15949
Nagios XI Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 3 May 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
Nagios XI before 5.6.6 allows remote command execution as root. The exploit requires access to the server as the nagios user, or access as the admin user via the web interface. The getprofile.sh script, invoked by downloading a system profile (profile.php?cmd=download), is executed as root via a passwordless sudo entry; the script executes check_plugin, which is owned by the nagios user. A user logged into Nagios XI with permissions to modify plugins, or the nagios user on the server, can modify the check_plugin executable and insert malicious commands to execute as root.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 77.04% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- 2 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 10 March 2020
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 November 2021 · due 3 May 2022
- Weakness
- CWE-78
- Affected
- nagios/nagios xi
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 77.0% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-15949
Public exploits (2)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156676/Nagios-XI-Authenticated-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162158/Nagios-XI-getprofile.sh-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://github.com/jakgibb/nagiosxi-root-rce-exploitExploit, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156676/Nagios-XI-Authenticated-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162158/Nagios-XI-getprofile.sh-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://github.com/jakgibb/nagiosxi-root-rce-exploitExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-15949US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.