Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This issue lets an unauthenticated network attacker disrupt a Rapid7 Metasploit Framework HTTP handler. Successful abuse can stop new handler sessions or exhaust server resources. The impact is availability loss, not data theft or code execution, based on the provided sources.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority where Metasploit handlers are reachable from untrusted networks. The business risk is disruption of security testing infrastructure and possible interruption of authorized operations. If handlers are isolated and access-controlled, schedule remediation through normal urgent maintenance.
Technical view
CVE-2019-5645 affects Rapid7 Metasploit Framework 5.0.27. A crafted HTTP GET request to a listening Metasploit HTTP handler can register an arbitrary regular expression that disrupts handler session creation or causes resource exhaustion. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.5, network-accessible, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to environments running Rapid7 Metasploit Framework 5.0.27 with HTTP handlers listening where an attacker can reach them. Internet-reachable or broadly accessible internal handler listeners are the main concern. The source bundle does not identify other affected versions or CPEs.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. The weakness is remotely reachable when an HTTP handler is listening, but the public evidence here supports denial of service only.
Researcher notes
Evidence is concise and limited. The provided CVE data names Rapid7 Metasploit Framework 5.0.27, CWE-400, and a Rapid7 pull request. It does not provide a fixed version, CPE list, workaround text, or active exploitation evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Metasploit Framework deployments and identify version 5.0.27.
- Restrict network access to Metasploit HTTP handlers to trusted operators only.
- Check Rapid7 guidance or the referenced pull request for fixed version details.
- Upgrade or patch according to Rapid7’s documented remediation path.
- Monitor Metasploit hosts for handler failures or resource exhaustion.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether any Metasploit Framework 5.0.27 instances are present.
- Review firewall and access-control rules around HTTP handler listener ports.
- Check operational logs for unexpected handler errors or resource exhaustion symptoms.
- Verify patched or upgraded instances remain functional for authorized testing workflows.
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-400: 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 lookupCVE-2019-5645 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
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/pull/12433CVE 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.
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.