CVE-2019-12181
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
- Record
CVE-2019-12181- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.5 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
- Record
CVE-2019-12181- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-3830 No score
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
- Record
EUVD-2019-3830- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-3qcp-g78m-7jv9
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in SolarWinds Serv-U before 15.1.7 for Linux.
- Record
GHSA-3qcp-g78m-7jv9- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB | Serv-U FTP Server < 15.1.7 - Local Privilege Escalation (1) | 2019-06-18 |
| Exploit-DB | Serv-U FTP Server - prepareinstallation Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) | 2019-07-03 |
| Exploit-DB | Serv-U FTP Server < 15.1.7 - Local Privilege Escalation (2) | 2019-01-13 |
| Metasploit | Serv-U FTP Server prepareinstallation Privilege Escalation | 2019-06-05 |
| PoC in GitHub | mavlevin/CVE-2019-12181 | 2019-06-12 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, Exploit-DB, GitHub Advisories, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-12181 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Solarwinds Serv-u Ftp Server, published June 17, 2019. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 65.4%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/servu/Content/Release_Notes/Servu_15-1-7_release_notes.htm
support.solarwinds.com/SuccessCenter/s/article/Serv-U-Potential-elevation-of-privileges-on-Linux-systems
packetstormsecurity.com/files/153333/Serv-U-FTP-Server-15.1.6-Privilege-Escalation.html
blog.vastart.dev/2019/06/cve-2019-12181-serv-u-exploit-writeup.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12181
github.com/advisories/GHSA-3qcp-g78m-7jv9