# CVE-2018-19911: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands on FreeSWITCH servers if the XML-RPC module is enabled, potentially leading to full system compromise.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Dec 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j9vc-vw64-7f9w

## What is CVE-2018-19911?

CVE-2018-19911 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Dec 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

FreeSWITCH through 1.8.2, when mod_xml_rpc is enabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via the api/system or txtapi/system (or api/bg_system or txtapi/bg_system) query string on TCP port 8080, as demonstrated by an api/system?calc URI. This can also be exploited via CSRF. Alternatively, the default password of works for the freeswitch account can sometimes be used.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command), CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-19911?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freeswitch Freeswitch.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-19911?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-19911 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-19911 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-19911 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- freeswitch all version remote command execute (cve-2018-19911) (github_poc): https://github.com/iSafeBlue/freeswitch_rce

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-49841](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49841/): FreeSWITCH: Pre-authentication heap buffer overflow in `mod_verto` HTTP POST body read (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-19492](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19492/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-49840](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49840/): FreeSWITCH: Pre-authentication heap buffer overflow in libesl `Content-Length` parsing (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2021-41145](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41145/): FreeSWITCH susceptible to Denial of Service via SIP flooding (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-45771](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45771/): Freeswitch Denial-of-Service in SIP PUBLISH Requests via XML Entity Expansion (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-19911 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-19911 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Dec 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-19911 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19911/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19911/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-19911
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-19911
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-19911

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19911/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.