# CVE-2019-15271: Cisco RV Series Routers Deserialization of Untrusted Data

> Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers via the web management interface.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 8 Jun 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Nov 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-87q2-rr35-r6c9

## What is CVE-2019-15271?

CVE-2019-15271 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware, published on 26 Nov 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of certain Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges. The attacker must have either a valid credential or an active session token. The vulnerability is due to lack of input validation of the HTTP payload. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malicious HTTP request to the web-based management interface of the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-15271?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Cisco Rv016 Multi-Wan Vpn Firmware, Cisco Rv042 Dual Wan Vpn Firmware, Cisco Rv042g Dual Gigabit Wan Vpn Firmware, Cisco Rv082 Dual Wan Vpn Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-15271?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-15271 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 22 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-15271 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-15271 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware

- [CVE-2019-15957](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15957/): Cisco Small Business Routers RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325 Command Injection Vulnerability (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2019-15990](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15990/): Cisco Small Business Routers RV016, RV042, RV042G, and RV082 Information Disclosure Vulnerability (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2015-6418](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6418/): Weak cryptography in n/a (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-15271 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-15271 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware, published on 26 Nov 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-15271 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

Affected product: Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware. 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-2019-15271/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15271/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-15271
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-15271
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-15271

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15271/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.