Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw could let a highly privileged authenticated attacker turn Cisco ASA or FTD device access into root-level control of the underlying system. It is serious because these devices often sit on network boundaries. The source bundle does not identify affected versions or confirmed exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority firewall platform risk, especially for perimeter devices. The privilege requirement reduces broad drive-by risk, but root compromise of a security appliance can undermine segmentation, inspection, and trust in network controls.
Technical view
Cisco describes insufficient restrictions in the integrated Lua interpreter for user-supplied Lua scripts. Abuse can trigger a heap overflow and allow arbitrary code execution with root privileges. CVSS v3.0 is 7.2 with network access, low complexity, high privileges, no user interaction, and high impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Cisco ASA Software or Firepower Threat Defense Software permits privileged authenticated users to supply or run Lua scripts. The provided affected-version data is incomplete, so product owners must validate exact releases against Cisco’s advisory.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. Exploitation requires authenticated remote access with high privileges, which narrows likelihood but raises insider, compromised-admin, and management-plane risk.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports CWE-119-style memory corruption through Lua interpreter restrictions. The source bundle lacks exact version ranges, patch details, and exploit telemetry, so avoid claims beyond Cisco’s advisory and the CVE record.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco’s advisory for affected releases, fixed software, and vendor workarounds.
- Inventory Cisco ASA and FTD deployments and identify exposed management paths.
- Restrict privileged accounts able to submit or run Lua scripts.
- Harden administrative access with MFA, least privilege, and trusted management networks.
- Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or perimeter security devices.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether deployed ASA or FTD versions match Cisco’s affected release guidance.
- Review administrator and automation accounts with high privileges on affected devices.
- Check device logs for unusual privileged configuration or scripting activity.
- Validate management interfaces are not broadly reachable.
- Document remediation status and any vendor-advised compensating controls.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-119: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-15992 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.2 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.25.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.2HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20191112 Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software and Firepower Threat Defense Software Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_CISCO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.