# CVE-2019-11510: Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure Arbitrary File Read

> Unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files on Pulse Secure PCS appliances via crafted URIs, exposing sensitive configuration and user data.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:C/UI:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 May 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6wr2-qx99-98mg

## What is CVE-2019-11510?

CVE-2019-11510 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure, published on 8 May 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) 8.2 before 8.2R12.1, 8.3 before 8.3R7.1, and 9.0 before 9.0R3.4, an unauthenticated remote attacker can send a specially crafted URI to perform an arbitrary file reading vulnerability .

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-11510?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ivanti Connect Secure.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-11510?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-11510 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-11510 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-11510 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- Exploit for Arbitrary File Read on Pulse Secure SSL VPN (CVE-2019-11510) (github_poc): https://github.com/projectzeroindia/CVE-2019-11510
- Exploit for Pulse Connect Secure SSL VPN arbitrary file read vulnerability (CVE-2019-11510) (github_poc): https://github.com/BishopFox/pwn-pulse
- SSL VPN Rce (github_poc): https://github.com/jas502n/CVE-2019-11510-1
- Pulse Secure SSL VPN  pre-auth file reading (github_poc): https://github.com/imjdl/CVE-2019-11510-poc
- This utility can help determine if indicators of compromise (IOCs) exist in the log files of a Pulse Secure VPN Appliance for CVE-2019-11510. (github_poc): https://github.com/cisagov/check-your-pulse
- Nmap NSE script to detect Pulse Secure SSL VPN file disclosure CVE-2019-11510 (github_poc): https://github.com/r00tpgp/http-pulse_ssl_vpn.nse

## Other vulnerabilities in Ivanti Connect Secure

- [CVE-2021-22893](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22893/): Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure Use-After-Free (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-21887](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21887/): Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure Command Injection (critical 9.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-22457](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-22457/): Ivanti Connect Secure, Policy Secure, and ZTA Gateways Stack-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-0282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-0282/): Ivanti Connect Secure, Policy Secure, and ZTA Gateways Stack-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22894](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22894/): Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure Collaboration Suite Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-11510 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-11510 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Ivanti Connect Secure, published on 8 May 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-11510 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Ivanti Connect Secure. 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-2019-11510/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11510/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-11510
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11510
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-11510

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11510/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.