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Fencer Vulns
critical 9.8

CVE-2019-16759 kev in the critical feed json

vBulletin 5.x through 5.5.4 allows remote command execution via the widgetConfig[code] parameter in an ajax/render/widget_php routestring r…

published 2019-09-24 7 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2019-7294

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2021-11-03
epss
99.7%
EPSS 99.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99.9%
public exploits
3
Metasploit, Exploit-DB, plus a Nuclei check

Summary

vBulletin 5.x through 5.5.4 allows remote command execution via the widgetConfig[code] parameter in an ajax/render/widget_php routestring request.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Timeline

  1. First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/multi/http/vbulletin_widgetconfig_rce)
  2. Published
  3. Added to CISA KEV
  4. CISA patch deadline
  5. CISA SSVC: exploitation active

Known exploited

Added
5 y ago
Patch by
2022-05-03 (4 y ago)
Ransomware
Not known
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product
vBulletin, vBulletin
CISA name
vBulletin PHP Module Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total
Assessed
21 mo ago

Exploit prediction

99.73% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • Metasploit exploit/multi/http/vbulletin_widgetconfig_rce vBulletin widgetConfig RCE metasploit exploit, excellent rank, 2019-09-23
  • EDB-47447 vBulletin 5.0 < 5.5.4 - 'widget_php ' Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution webapps, 2019-09-23
  • EDB-47437 vBulletin 5.x - Remote Command Execution (Metasploit) webapps, 2019-09-30
  • Nuclei template vBulletin 5.0.0-5.5.4 - Remote Command Execution nuclei detection template
  • seclists.org https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/31 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • arstechnica.com https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/public-exploit-code-spawns-mass-attacks-against-high-severity-vbulletin-bug/ referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154623/vBulletin-5.x-0-Day-Pre-Auth-Remote-Command-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154648/vBulletin-5.x-Pre-Auth-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155633/vBulletin-5.5.4-Remote-Command-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158830/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158829/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • seclists.org http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/5 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158866/vBulletin-5.x-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CISA ADP 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.5 AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.