# CVE-2019-12991: Citrix SD-WAN and NetScaler Command Injection

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands on Citrix SD-WAN devices due to improper input validation, requiring an upgrade to secure versions.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Jul 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-462p-6gjx-6wj6

## What is CVE-2019-12991?

CVE-2019-12991 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 Jul 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Citrix SD-WAN 10.2.x before 10.2.3 and NetScaler SD-WAN 10.0.x before 10.0.8 have Improper Input Validation (issue 5 of 6).

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-12991?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Citrix Netscaler Sd-Wan, Citrix Sd-Wan.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-12991?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-12991 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Apr 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-12991 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-12991 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Citrix SD-WAN Appliance 10.2.2 - Authentication Bypass / Remote Command Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2019-12989](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12989/): Citrix SD-WAN and NetScaler SQL Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6316](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6316/): Citrix Multiple Products Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-12985](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12985/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-12986](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12986/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-12987](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12987/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-12991 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-12991 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 Jul 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-12991 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

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-2019-12991/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12991/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-12991
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12991
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-12991

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12991/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.