# CVE-2019-11286: JMX Credential Deserialization in GemFire

> A remote authenticated attacker can achieve remote code execution in VMware GemFire by sending crafted credentials to the JMX service.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-973v-v8wv-cw5w

## What is CVE-2019-11286?

CVE-2019-11286 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in VMware GemFire, published on 31 Jul 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware GemFire versions prior to 9.10.0, 9.9.1, 9.8.5, and 9.7.5, and VMware Tanzu GemFire for VMs versions prior to 1.11.0, 1.10.1, 1.9.2, and 1.8.2, contain a JMX service available to the network which does not properly restrict input. A remote authenticated malicious user may request against the service with a crafted set of credentials leading to remote code execution.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-11286?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Vmware Gemfire, Vmware Tanzu Gemfire for Virtual Machines.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-11286?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-11286 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-11286 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11286 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware GemFire

- [CVE-2020-5396](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5396/): JMX Insecure Default Configuration in GemFire (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-11286 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-11286 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in VMware GemFire, published on 31 Jul 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11286 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware GemFire. 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-2019-11286/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11286/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-11286
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11286
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-11286

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11286/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.