CVE-2019-18187 Trend Micro OfficeScan: 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 May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install Trend Micro's security update for OfficeScan. 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
- Trend Micro OfficeScan Directory Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- Trend Micro OfficeScan
- CISA description
- Trend Micro OfficeScan contains a directory traversal vulnerability by extracting files from a zip file to a specific folder on the OfficeScan server, leading to remote code execution.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2019-18187 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-18187
Is CVE-2019-18187 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-18187 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2019-18187?
Install Trend Micro's security update for OfficeScan. 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-2019-18187?
Only if you use Trend Micro OfficeScan. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.