# CVE-2019-11458: Unsafe deserialization in SmtpTransport in CakePHP

> An attacker can overwrite arbitrary files by sending a crafted serialized object to the SmtpTransport component in CakePHP.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 May 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qhrx-hcm6-pmrw

## What is CVE-2019-11458?

CVE-2019-11458 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 8 May 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in SmtpTransport in CakePHP 3.7.6. An unserialized object with modified internal properties can trigger arbitrary file overwriting upon destruction.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-11458?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including cakephp/cakephp. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.0.0 | 3.5.18 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.0.0 | 3.5.18 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.6.0 | 3.6.15 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.6.0 | 3.6.15 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.7 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.7 |

Products: Cakephp Cakephp.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-11458?

Upgrade cakephp/cakephp to a fixed version for your release line: 3.5.18, 3.6.15 or 3.7.7.

## Is CVE-2019-11458 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11458 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-22727](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22727/): Database Query::offset() and limit() vulnerable to SQL injection in cakephp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-35239](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35239/): CakePHP allows method override parameters to bypass CSRF checks (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2015-8379](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8379/): CakePHP might allow remote attackers to bypass CSRF protection mechanism via the _method parameter (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-4793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4793/): CakePHP allows remote attackers to spoof their IP (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2026-23643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23643/): CakePHP PaginatorHelper::limitControl() vulnerable to reflected cross-site-scripting (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-11458 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-11458 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 8 May 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-11458 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.5.18
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.5.18
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.6.0; fixed in 3.6.15
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.6.0; fixed in 3.6.15
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.7
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.7

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-2019-11458/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11458/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-11458
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11458
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-11458

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11458/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.