CVE-2019-16278 Nostromo nhttpd: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Nov 28, 2024
What to do
- Install Nostromo's security update for nhttpd. 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
- Nostromo nhttpd Directory Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- Nostromo nhttpd
- CISA description
- Nostromo nhttpd contains a directory traversal vulnerability in the http_verify() function in a non-chrooted nhttpd server allowing for remote code execution.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 7, 2024
- US federal patch deadline
- Nov 28, 2024
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Answering about CVE-2019-16278 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-16278
Is CVE-2019-16278 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-16278 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 7, 2024, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2019-16278?
Install Nostromo's security update for nhttpd. 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-2019-16278?
Only if you use Nostromo nhttpd. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.