# CVE-2019-16645: Open redirect in n/a

> Attackers can manipulate HTTP Host headers to generate malicious links in GoAhead web server pages, facilitating phishing attacks.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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:** No
- **Published:** 20 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fwcq-vxfg-777g

## What is CVE-2019-16645?

CVE-2019-16645 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Sep 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 Embedthis GoAhead 2.5.0. Certain pages (such as goform/login and config/log_off_page.htm) create links containing a hostname obtained from an arbitrary HTTP Host header sent by an attacker. This could potentially be used in a phishing attack.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-16645?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Embedthis Goahead.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-16645?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-16645 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-16645 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-16645 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- GoAhead 2.5.0 - Host Header Injection (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-17562](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17562/): Embedthis GoAhead Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-41615](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41615/): Weak cryptography in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-43298](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43298/): Security feature bypass in goahead (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-42342](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42342/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-5096](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5096/): Use after free in EmbedThis (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-16645 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-16645 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Sep 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-2019-16645 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2019-16645/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16645/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-16645
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-16645
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-16645

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16645/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.