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CriticalCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2019-11510CWE-22· Improper Limitation of a Pathname…

CVE-2019-11510 is a critical arbitrary file read vulnerability in Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS), also referenced in the provided content as affecting Pulse Connect Secure VPN and associated advisories. An unauthenticated remote attacker with network access over HTTPS can send a specially crafted URI to the appliance and read arbitrary files from the underlying system. The issue affects PCS 8.2 before 8.2R12.1, 8.3 before 8.3R7.1, and 9.0 before 9.0R3.4; the content also lists affected Pulse Connect Secure ranges including 9.0R1-9.0R3.3, 8.3R1-8.3R7, 8.2R1-8.2R12, and additional vulnerable Pulse Policy Secure ranges in related reporting. The vulnerability has been widely exploited in the wild by both nation-state and criminal actors as an initial access vector against internet-facing VPN infrastructure.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows remote disclosure of arbitrary files from the VPN appliance without authentication. In practice, the provided content states this can expose cached plaintext or otherwise unencrypted credentials, including administrative credentials, session material, and other sensitive information stored on the device. Multiple advisories and reporting in the content note that attackers used the vulnerability to steal credentials, gain initial access, pivot into internal systems, maintain unauthorized access, and support follow-on intrusion activity including espionage, ransomware deployment, and broader network compromise. Even after patching the appliance, previously stolen credentials may still permit re-entry unless they are rotated.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

The provided advisory states there is no viable workaround for CVE-2019-11510; patching is the required mitigation. Where compromise is suspected, organizations should run the Pulse Secure Connect Integrity Tool, review unauthenticated web request logs, hunt for indicators of compromise and webshell activity, and investigate for lateral movement or persistence. Because harvested credentials may survive appliance remediation, reset passwords and other authentication material associated with the appliance, and consider factory reset/rebuild procedures in line with vendor and CISA guidance if compromise is confirmed.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the vendor security fixes immediately. The content identifies fixed versions as Pulse Connect Secure 8.2R12.1, 8.3R7.1, and 9.0R3.4 or later; additional unaffected/fixed branches listed include 9.1R1 and above, 9.0R4, and 8.1RX and below for PCS. The advisory content also recommends upgrading all affected Pulse Secure devices to the latest patched versions and replacing appliances that are End of Engineering or End of Life. Because exploitation commonly results in credential theft, remediation should also include credential rotation for all accounts associated with the VPN environment and investigation for broader compromise.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

4 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (1 hidden).

VALID 4 / 5 TOTALView more in app
pwn-pulseMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Bash script ('pwn-pulse.sh') that exploits the Pulse Connect Secure SSL VPN arbitrary file read vulnerability (CVE-2019-11510). The script is designed to automate the exploitation process by taking a target domain or IP address and attempting to download sensitive files from the VPN appliance using crafted directory traversal URLs. It then parses the downloaded files to extract private keys, usernames, admin details (including session cookies), and observed logins (including passwords). The script can also test session cookies to identify active sessions, which could be hijacked. All extracted information is compiled into a report file for each target. The repository includes a README with usage instructions and a LICENSE file. The main exploit logic resides in 'pwn-pulse.sh', which is the only code file. The attack vector is network-based, targeting accessible Pulse Connect Secure VPN appliances over HTTPS. The script is operational and provides real credential and session extraction capabilities, making it a practical tool for post-exploitation or red team activities.

BishopFoxDisclosed Sep 9, 2019bashnetwork
CVE-2019-11510MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Bash exploit script (CVE-2019-11510.sh) targeting Pulse Secure SSL VPN appliances vulnerable to CVE-2019-11510, a critical arbitrary file read vulnerability. The script allows an attacker to supply a single target or a list of targets (via a file) and attempts to exploit the directory traversal flaw to download sensitive files from the VPN appliance. It first checks for vulnerability by reading /etc/passwd, then proceeds to download /etc/hosts and internal database files (/data/runtime/mtmp/lmdb/dataa/data.mdb and /data/runtime/mtmp/lmdb/randomVal/data.mdb). The script extracts plaintext usernames, passwords, and session IDs from these files, saving the results in organized output directories per target. The repository also includes a README.md with usage instructions and references. The exploit is operational, automating the process of identifying vulnerable systems and extracting credentials and session information for further compromise.

projectzeroindiaDisclosed Aug 21, 2019bashnetwork
pulsexploitMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a single Python exploit script (pulsexploit.py) targeting Pulse Secure SSL VPN appliances vulnerable to CVE-2019-11510. The exploit automates the process of identifying vulnerable hosts by querying the Shodan API for devices exposing the '/dana/' path on port 443. For each discovered host, it attempts to exploit a path traversal vulnerability to read sensitive files from the system, including /etc/passwd, /etc/hosts, /etc/group, /etc/resolv.conf, and a session database file. The results are saved in an output directory for later analysis. The script is operational and requires a valid Shodan API key and internet access. The repository also includes a README with usage instructions, a requirements.txt for dependencies (shodan), and standard project files. The exploit is not part of a larger framework and is self-contained.

aqhmalDisclosed Dec 7, 2019pythonnetwork
CVE-2019-11510-1MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository contains a Python proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2019-11510, a critical arbitrary file read vulnerability in Pulse Secure SSL VPN appliances. The main file, CVE-2019-11510.py, takes a target URL as input and attempts to exploit a directory traversal flaw to read sensitive files such as /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts from the remote system. If successful, the contents of these files are saved locally. The exploit works by crafting specific HTTP GET requests to vulnerable endpoints on the VPN device. The repository also includes a README.md with usage instructions and references. No payload for code execution is included; the exploit is limited to file read capabilities, making it a proof-of-concept for information disclosure. The attack vector is network-based, requiring access to the target's HTTPS interface.

jas502nDisclosed Aug 27, 2019pythonnetwork
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
IvantiConnect Secureapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

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This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.
Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence17

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware27

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures2

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity1

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.