Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
An attacker who already has administrator access to Cisco IMC could abuse CSR generation to run operating-system commands as root. This is not a drive-by internet bug, but it can turn a compromised or misused admin account into full device control.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for exposed or broadly accessible management interfaces. The attacker needs admin credentials, but successful exploitation grants root control of infrastructure management components.
Technical view
CVE-2019-1896 is command injection (CWE-78) in Cisco IMC's web-based management interface. Insufficient validation in the CSR generation function allows an authenticated remote administrator to submit crafted CSR input and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges. CVSS is 7.2 high.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Cisco Unified Computing System E-Series Software or Cisco IMC management interfaces are reachable by administrators. The bundle does not specify affected version ranges, so asset owners must confirm status against Cisco guidance.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires high privileges: an authenticated remote attacker with administrator access to the web management interface.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports authenticated command injection through CSR generation in Cisco IMC. The source bundle names Cisco UCS E-Series Software but does not include version-specific fix data, exploit availability, or observed exploitation evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco's advisory for affected releases and fixed software guidance.
- Restrict IMC management interface access to trusted administrative networks.
- Audit and minimize accounts with IMC administrator privileges.
- Monitor Cisco guidance if affected version details are unclear.
- Treat compromised IMC admin credentials as potential full device compromise.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco UCS E-Series and IMC-managed devices.
- Compare installed software versions with Cisco's advisory.
- Confirm IMC web management is not exposed beyond administrative networks.
- Review IMC administrator accounts for unnecessary privileges.
- Check administrative logs for unexpected CSR generation activity.
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-78: Command execution behavior lookup
Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. 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-2019-1896 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
- 20190821 Cisco Integrated Management Controller CSR Generation Command Injection 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 Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.