CVE-2019-11539 Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure: command or code injection
In plain words: The program treats text it receives as instructions instead of plain data. The attacker can run commands on the machine — often the whole device is taken over.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install Ivanti's security update for Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Policy Secure Command Injection Vulnerability
- Product
- Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure
- CISA description
- Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Policy Secure allows an authenticated attacker from the admin web interface to inject and execute commands.
- Type of flaw
- Command or code injection (CWE-78)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2019-11539 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-11539
Is CVE-2019-11539 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-11539 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2019-11539?
Install Ivanti's security update for Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2019-11539?
Only if you use Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.