# CVE-2019-18988: TeamViewer Desktop Bypass Remote Login

> Attackers can decrypt protected configuration data using a shared AES key, potentially enabling remote login and file access.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Feb 2020
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-98mp-frx2-qv94

## What is CVE-2019-18988?

CVE-2019-18988 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Feb 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

TeamViewer Desktop through 14.7.1965 allows a bypass of remote-login access control because the same key is used for different customers' installations. It used a shared AES key for all installations since at least as far back as v7.0.43148, and used it for at least OptionsPasswordAES in the current version of the product. If an attacker were to know this key, they could decrypt protect information stored in the registry or configuration files of TeamViewer. With versions before v9.x , this allowed for attackers to decrypt the Unattended Access password to the system (which allows for remote login to the system as well as headless file browsing). The latest version still uses the same key for OptionPasswordAES but appears to have changed how the Unattended Access password is stored. While in most cases an attacker requires an existing session on a system, if the registry/configuration keys were stored off of the machine (such as in a file share or online), an attacker could then decrypt the required password to login to the system.

Weakness: CWE-521 (Weak Password Requirements)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-18988?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Teamviewer Teamviewer.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-18988?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-18988 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-18988 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-18988 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- TeamViewer Store Credentials Decryption (github_poc): https://github.com/mr-r3b00t/CVE-2019-18988
- Windows Gather TeamViewer Passwords (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-16550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16550/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2010-3128](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3128/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2020-13699](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13699/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-14333](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14333/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2021-34858](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34858/): Memory corruption in TeamViewer (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-18988 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-18988 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Feb 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-18988 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

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-2019-18988/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18988/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-18988
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-18988
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-18988

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18988/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.