LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2019-9149: Mailvelope prior to 3.3.0 allows private key operations without user interaction via its client-API.

Mailvelope prior to 3.3.0 allows private key operations without user interaction via its client-API. By modifying an URL parameter in Mailvelope, an attacker is able to sign (and encrypt) arbitrary messages with Mailvelope, assuming the private key password is cached. A second vulnerability allows an attacker to decrypt an arbitrary message when the GnuPG backend is used in Mailvelope.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Mailvelope versions before 3.3.0 could let an attacker trigger private-key operations without the user approving them, if the key password was already cached. This could undermine trust in signed email and, with the GnuPG backend, expose decrypted message content.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation where Mailvelope protects sensitive email, legal communications, executive mail, or customer data. The business risk is unauthorized use of a user's private key and potential message disclosure.

Technical view

The CVE describes a client-API flaw where modifying a Mailvelope URL parameter enabled signing and encryption of arbitrary messages when the private key password was cached. A second issue affected the GnuPG backend, allowing arbitrary message decryption. The sources identify affected versions only as Mailvelope prior to 3.3.0.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to users running Mailvelope before 3.3.0, especially where private key passwords remain cached. GnuPG backend users have additional confidentiality exposure.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not include KEV listing, public exploitation evidence, CVSS scoring, or exploit maturity details. Treat this as a serious key-misuse risk, not confirmed active exploitation.

Researcher notes

Key uncertainties remain: no CVSS, CWE, precise affected platform matrix, or exploitation evidence is provided. Analysis should stay tied to Mailvelope before 3.3.0, cached private key passwords, client-API behavior, and the GnuPG backend decryption issue.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Mailvelope to version 3.3.0 or later.
  • Prioritize users configured with the GnuPG backend.
  • Review vendor changelog and guidance before applying compensating controls.
  • Reduce reliance on cached private key passwords where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Mailvelope versions across managed browsers.
  • Confirm installed versions are 3.3.0 or later.
  • Identify users configured with the GnuPG backend.
  • Review whether private key passwords are cached in affected environments.
  • Document any remaining legacy browser profiles using Mailvelope.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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.

description · low confidence lookup

Credential and access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2019-9149 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.