CVE-2019-19781 Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC), Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance: 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 Citrix's security update for Application Delivery Controller (ADC), Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance. 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
- Citrix ADC, Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC), Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance
- CISA description
- Citrix ADC, Citrix Gateway, and multiple Citrix SD-WAN WANOP appliance models contain an unspecified vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to perform code execution.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- 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-2019-19781 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-19781
Is CVE-2019-19781 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-19781 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-2019-19781?
Install Citrix's security update for Application Delivery Controller (ADC), Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance. 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-2019-19781?
Only if you use Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC), Gateway, and SD-WAN WANOP Appliance. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.