Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A malicious ZIP imported into vulnerable Metasploit could escape the intended import directory and cause code execution as the Metasploit user. This is serious for security teams because Metasploit often runs in privileged testing environments, but the supplied sources do not show remote, unauthenticated exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority security tooling issue. It is not described as internet-exposed or actively exploited, but compromise of a trusted testing tool can create outsized risk in privileged environments.
Technical view
CVE-2019-5624 is a CWE-22 path traversal in Metasploit Framework ZIP import handling. Rapid7 lists Metasploit Framework 4.14.0 and earlier as affected. CVSS 3.0 is 7.4, with local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, and user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is mainly organizations running Metasploit Framework 4.14.0 or earlier where users import ZIP data from untrusted or weakly trusted sources. Shared security workstations, training labs, and CI/security automation using Metasploit imports are higher concern.
Exploitation context
The CVE describes arbitrary code execution through ZIP import path traversal at the privilege level of the Metasploit process. The source bundle does not cite public exploitation in the wild, and KEV status is false.
Researcher notes
Focus validation on ZIP import workflows, archive trust boundaries, and filesystem permissions for the Metasploit runtime user. Evidence is sufficient for affected product and vulnerability class, but the supplied bundle does not include detailed fixed-version mapping beyond vendor references.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Metasploit Framework according to Rapid7 guidance and release notes.
- Do not import ZIP files from untrusted sources into vulnerable Metasploit installations.
- Limit Metasploit use to trusted operators and dedicated, least-privilege accounts.
- Isolate security testing workstations from sensitive production credentials and file shares.
- Check Rapid7 PR #11716 and vendor notes for the exact fixed build.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Metasploit Framework versions and flag 4.14.0 or earlier.
- Confirm vulnerable systems have been upgraded to a vendor-fixed release.
- Review recent ZIP import activity from untrusted sources.
- Inspect Metasploit user-writable paths for unexpected files after suspicious imports.
- Verify operational runbooks prohibit untrusted archive imports into security tools.
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-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection 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 lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-5624 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
- 7.4 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
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:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N1.15.8Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.4HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/pull/11716CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://help.rapid7.com/metasploit/release-notes/archive/2019/04/#20190416CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://blog.doyensec.com/2019/04/24/rubyzip-bug.htmlCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.