CVE-2019-1889
Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller REST API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to root on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete validation and error checking for the file path when specific software is uploaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading malicious software using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker would need to have the administrator role on the device.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.2
Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller REST API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to root on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete validation and error checking for the file path when specific software is uploaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading malicious software using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker would need to have the administrator role on the device.
- Record
CVE-2019-1889- CVSS 3.0
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-264
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-10446
7.2
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to root on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete validation and error checking for the file path when specific software is uploaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading malicious software using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker would need to have the administrator role on the device.
- Record
EUVD-2019-10446- CVSS 3.0
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p5h6-5443-r463 No score
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy...
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to root on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete validation and error checking for the file path when specific software is uploaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading malicious software using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker would need to have the administrator role on the device.
- Record
GHSA-p5h6-5443-r463- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.2
A vulnerability in the REST API for software device management in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to root on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete validation and error checking for the file path when specific software is uploaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading malicious software using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker would need to have the administrator role on the device.
- Record
CVE-2019-1889- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 9.0 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-264, CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-1889 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.2) in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller, published July 4, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.77%, the 86th percentile. No source names a fixed version.