# CVE-2019-1652: Cisco Small Business Routers Improper Input Validation

> Authenticated administrators can execute arbitrary root commands on Cisco RV320/RV325 routers via malicious HTTP POST requests.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Jan 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-73jm-6x85-hwg5

## What is CVE-2019-1652?

CVE-2019-1652 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Rv320 Firmware, published on 24 Jan 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Dual Gigabit WAN VPN Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges on an affected device to execute arbitrary commands. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious HTTP POST requests to the web-based management interface of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying Linux shell as root. Cisco has released firmware updates that address this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-1652?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Rv320 Firmware, Cisco Rv325 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-1652?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-1652 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 17 Mar 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-1652 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-1652 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2019-1652 /CVE-2019-1653 Exploits For Dumping Cisco RV320 Configurations & Debugging Data AND Remote Root Exploit! (github_poc): https://github.com/0x27/CiscoRV320Dump
- Cisco RV320 and RV325 Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (metasploit)
- Cisco RV320 Dual Gigabit WAN VPN Router 1.4.2.15 - Command Injection (exploitdb)
- Cisco RV320 and RV325 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Rv320 Firmware

- [CVE-2019-1653](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1653/): Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Routers Information Disclosure (high 7.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-20117](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20117/): Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Dual Gigabit WAN VPN Routers Command Injection Vulnerabilities (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2023-20128](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20128/): Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Dual Gigabit WAN VPN Routers Command Injection Vulnerabilities (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2019-1827](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1827/): Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Routers Online Help Reflected Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2019-1828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1828/): Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Routers Weak Credential Encryption Vulnerability (medium 5.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-1652 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-1652 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Rv320 Firmware, published on 24 Jan 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-1652 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

Affected product: Cisco Rv320 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-2019-1652/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1652/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-1652
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1652
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-1652

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1652/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.