CVE-2019-16256
CVE-2019-16256 is a security flaw in SIMalliance Toolbox Browser. Attackers can run commands on SIMalliance Toolbox Browser. 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.[1]
SIMalliance Toolbox Browser 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.
Description
CISA calls it a command injection in SIMalliance Toolbox Browser. In its words: “SIMalliance Toolbox Browser contains an command injection vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to retrieve location and IMEI information or execute a range of other attacks by modifying the attack message.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Some Samsung devices include the SIMalliance Toolbox Browser (aka S@T Browser) on the UICC, which might allow remote attackers to retrieve location and IMEI information, or retrieve other data or execute certain commands, via SIM Toolkit (STK) instructions in an SMS message, aka Simjacker.”[2]
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as SIMalliance Toolbox Browser.
Most families won’t have SIMalliance Toolbox Browser; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 783 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]
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 5%. That’s in the top 8% of the flaws it scores.[3]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.SIMalliance Toolbox Browser 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 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[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 5%.[3] |
See also
Similar flaws
- CVE-2026-111357, Ivanti Connect Secure: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-97229, GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition: integer overflow or wraparound ·
- CVE-2026-76418, Cisco Secure Firewall ASA Software and Cisco Secure FTD Software: unchecked return value to NULL pointer dereference ·
- CVE-2026-48356, Adobe Commerce and Magento: unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type ·
- CVE-2026-111497, Google Brotli: unchecked return value ·
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 ·
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “SIMalliance Toolbox Browser Command Injection Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2019-16256 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 12 Sep 2019.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.049, percentile 92.2, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2019-16256”. 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.