# CVE-2019-19023: Privilege Escalation in Cloud Native Computing Foundation Harbor

> Attackers can escalate privileges within the Harbor Container Registry, potentially gaining unauthorized administrative control over the system.

- **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:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q6cj-6jvq-jwmh, GO-2022-0863

## What is CVE-2019-19023?

CVE-2019-19023 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Mar 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Cloud Native Computing Foundation Harbor prior to 1.8.6 and 1.9.3 has a Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in the VMware Harbor Container Registry for the Pivotal Platform.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-19023?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/goharbor/harbor. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/goharbor/harbor` | Go | From 1.7.0 | 1.8.6, 1.9.3 |
| `github.com/goharbor/harbor` | Go | From 1.7.0 | 1.8.6 |
| `github.com/goharbor/harbor` | Go | From 1.7.0 | 1.8.6 |
| `github.com/goharbor/harbor` | Go | From 1.9.0 | 1.9.3 |
| `github.com/goharbor/harbor` | Go | From 1.9.0 | 1.9.3 |

Products: Linuxfoundation Harbor, Pivotal Vmware Harbor Registry.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-19023?

Upgrade github.com/goharbor/harbor to a fixed version for your release line: 1.8.6 or 1.9.3.

## Is CVE-2019-19023 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-19023 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-4404](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4404/): Use of hard coded credentials in GoHarbor Harbor (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2019-19025](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19025/): Cross-site Request Forgery (CSRF) in Cloud Native Computing Foundation Harbor (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-17697](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17697/): Server-side request forgery in n/a (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2022-31666](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31666/): Harbor fails to validate user permissions while Viewing, updating and deleting Webhook policies (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2022-31670](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31670/): Harbor fails to validate the user permissions when updating tag retention policies (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-19023 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-19023 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Mar 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-19023 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/goharbor/harbor (Go): affected from 1.7.0; fixed in 1.8.6, 1.9.3
- github.com/goharbor/harbor (Go): affected from 1.7.0; fixed in 1.8.6
- github.com/goharbor/harbor (Go): affected from 1.7.0; fixed in 1.8.6
- github.com/goharbor/harbor (Go): affected from 1.9.0; fixed in 1.9.3
- github.com/goharbor/harbor (Go): affected from 1.9.0; fixed in 1.9.3

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-2019-19023/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19023/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-19023
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-19023
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-19023

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19023/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.