CVE DATABASE / CVE-2019-16759
CVE-2019-16759
vBulletin PHP Module Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVSS 9.8 · CRITICAL
⚠ CISA KEV — ACTIVELY EXPLOITED
On the CISA KEV catalog
Confirmed exploited in the wild. Added 2021-11-03.
Federal remediation due 2022-05-03.
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Summary
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 breakdown
| Base score | 9.8 (CRITICAL) |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Attack vector | NETWORK |
| Attack complexity | LOW |
| Privileges required | NONE |
| User interaction | NONE |
| Scope | UNCHANGED |
| Confidentiality | HIGH |
| Integrity | HIGH |
| Availability | HIGH |
Weakness type (CWE)
Affected products
Vbulletin vbulletin
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Use our free CVE Lookup tool for the latest NVD record, or browse the full CISA KEV catalog.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154623/vBulletin-5.x-0-Day-Pre-Auth-Remote-Command-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154648/vBulletin-5.x-Pre-Auth-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155633/vBulletin-5.5.4-Remote-Command-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158829/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158830/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158866/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/5
- https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/public-exploit-code-spawns-mass-attacks-against-high-severity-vbulletin-bug/
- https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/31
- https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/09/24/vbulletin_vbug_zeroday/
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-16759
Data: NIST NVD + CISA KEV. NVD last modified 2025-11-07. Always verify against the vendor advisory before acting.