CVE-2019-16759
vBulletin PHP Module 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
vBulletin 5.x through 5.5.4 allows remote command execution via the widgetConfig[code] parameter in an ajax/render/widget_php routestring request.
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 99.73% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- 2 in Exploit-DB · first 23 September 2019
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 November 2021 · due 3 May 2022
- Weakness
- CWE-94
- Affected
- vbulletin/vbulletin
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 99.7% since 26 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-2019-16759
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/154623/vBulletin-5.x-0-Day-Pre-Auth-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154648/vBulletin-5.x-Pre-Auth-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155633/vBulletin-5.5.4-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158829/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158830/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158866/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/public-exploit-code-spawns-mass-attacks-against-high-severity-vbulletin-bug/Exploit, Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/31Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/09/24/vbulletin_vbug_zeroday/Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154623/vBulletin-5.x-0-Day-Pre-Auth-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154648/vBulletin-5.x-Pre-Auth-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155633/vBulletin-5.5.4-Remote-Command-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158829/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158830/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158866/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/public-exploit-code-spawns-mass-attacks-against-high-severity-vbulletin-bug/Exploit, Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/31Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/09/24/vbulletin_vbug_zeroday/Press/Media Coverage, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-16759US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.