CVE-2019-5538
5.9 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2019-5538 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting vmware vcenter_server. It was published on October 28, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
Sensitive information disclosure vulnerability resulting from a lack of certificate validation during the File-Based Backup and Restore operations of VMware vCenter Server Appliance (6.7 before 6.7u3a and 6.5 before 6.5u3d) may allow a malicious actor to intercept sensitive data in transit over SCP. A malicious actor with man-in-the-middle positioning between vCenter Server Appliance and a backup target may be able to intercept sensitive data in transit during File-Based Backup and Restore operations.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from vmware. Update vcenter_server to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2019-5538?
CVE-2019-5538 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting vmware vcenter_server. It was published on October 28, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2019-5538?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2019-5538?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from vmware. Update vcenter_server to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2019-5538?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2019-5538 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
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