CVE-2019-11539
CVE-2019-11539 is a security flaw in Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure, a VPN companies use to let staff in from outside. Someone who already has a way in can use Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure to run their own code. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Ivanti has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a pulse connect secure and policy secure command injection in Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure. In its words: “Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Policy Secure allows an authenticated attacker from the admin web interface to inject and execute commands.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “In Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure version 9.0RX before 9.0R3.4, 8.3RX before 8.3R7.1, 8.2RX before 8.2R12.1, and 8.1RX before 8.1R15.1 and Pulse Policy Secure version 9.0RX before 9.0R3.2, 5.4RX before 5.4R7.1, 5.3RX before 5.3R12.1, 5.2RX before 5.2R12.1, and 5.1RX before 5.1R15.1, the admin web interface allows an authenticated attacker to inject and execute commands.”[2]
The underlying weakness is OS command injection (CWE-78), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Ivanti’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure.
Most families won’t have Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 922 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Ivanti has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Pulse Policy Secure is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.2.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 99%.[4] |
See also
Other Ivanti flaws
- CVE-2026-118527, Ivanti Connect Secure: generation of predictable numbers or identifiers ·
- CVE-2026-111357, Ivanti Connect Secure: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-104935, Ivanti Connect Secure: authentication bypass by spoofing ·
- CVE-2026-10520, Ivanti Sentry: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-6973, Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM): improper input validation ·
Other OS command injection flaws
- CVE-2026-110447, Collabora Online – Built-in CODE Server: online – built-in CODE server OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-106931, EG Secure Solutions SiteGuard Server Edition: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-83549, SonicWall SMA1000 Appliances: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-49869, Kestra OSS: OSS OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-73570, Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS): OS command injection ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
- CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·
Every Ivanti flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Ivanti Pulse Connect Secure and Policy Secure Command Injection Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2019-11539 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 26 Apr 2019.
- ^ Ivanti. Advisories and fixes: kb.pulsesecure.net.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.985, percentile 99.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2019-11539”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.