# CVE-2019-19231: Privilege escalation in CA Client Automation

> A local attacker can exploit insecure file access in the CA Client Automation Agent to gain escalated privileges on Windows systems.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Dec 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2wr3-273m-9rpj

## What is CVE-2019-19231?

CVE-2019-19231 is a high-severity vulnerability in CA Client Automation, published on 20 Dec 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An insecure file access vulnerability exists in CA Client Automation 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3 Agent for Windows that can allow a local attacker to gain escalated privileges.

Weakness: CWE-65 (Windows Hard Link)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-19231?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Broadcom Ca Client Automation.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-19231?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-19231 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-19231 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-19231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/product-content/recommended-reading/security-notices/CA20191218-01-security-notice-for-ca-client-automation-agent-for-windows.html (github_poc): https://github.com/hessandrew/CVE-2019-19231

## Other vulnerabilities in CA Client Automation

- [CVE-2019-13656](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13656/): Auth bypass in Client Automation (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-19231 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-19231 is a high-severity vulnerability in CA Client Automation, published on 20 Dec 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-19231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: CA Client Automation. 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-2019-19231/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19231/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-19231
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-19231
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-19231

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19231/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.