Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) Arbitrary File Reading Vulnerability (CVE-2019-11510) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTPulse Connect Secure (PCS) versions prior to 8.2R12.1, 8.3R7.1, and 9.0R3.4
An unauthenticated remote attacker can send a specially crafted URI to read arbitrary system files and session databases, potentially leading to complete credential theft and network compromise.
Immediately upgrade to the official patched firmware versions (8.2R12.1, 8.3R7.1, 9.0R3.4, or later).
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official security update via the Pulse Secure Admin Console.
# Note: Firmware upgrades must be performed via the Web Admin GUI.
# 1. Navigate to Maintenance -> System -> Upgrade/Downgrade.
# 2. Upload the secure firmware package (e.g., 9.0R3.4 or higher).
# 3. Click 'Install' to apply the patch and reboot the appliance.2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, deploy signature-based blocking rules on your Web Application Firewall (WAF) or reverse proxy.
# Example Nginx WAF rule to block directory traversal attempts targeting PCS
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name vpn.company.com;
# Block directory traversal patterns in the URI
location ~* /dana-na/.*\.\./ {
return 403 'Forbidden: Malicious Request Detected';
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Inspect your appliance logs for indicators of compromise (IoCs) related to this vulnerability.
# Search web access logs for directory traversal and sensitive file access attempts
grep -Ei '(/dana-na/|\.\./|/etc/passwd|session.db)' /var/log/pulsesecure/web_access.log
# Check for unauthorized access to the session database file
grep -i 'session.db' /var/log/messagesStop Exposing VPN Ports to the Internet — Switch to Zero-Trust Access
Eliminate public-facing VPN concentrators and firewall management ports with identity-first Zero-Trust Network Access.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2019-11510) is a critical Directory Traversal (CWE-22) flaw in Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) SSL VPN appliances. It arises due to improper validation and normalization of user-supplied URI paths within the web server component, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to bypass access controls.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request containing directory traversal sequences (such as ../) targeting specific endpoints under the /dana-na/ directory. Because the application fails to sanitize these inputs, the operating system resolves the path relative to the root directory. This enables the attacker to download sensitive files, most notably /data/runtime/mtc/session.db, which contains active session tokens, usernames, and plaintext passwords. Attackers can then hijack active administrative sessions and bypass Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With a CVSS score of 10.0 and active exploitation documented in CISA's KEV catalog, this vulnerability poses an extreme risk. Since VPN gateways serve as the primary entry point to corporate networks, successful exploitation often serves as the initial access vector for ransomware deployment, lateral movement, and full Active Directory domain compromise.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
In Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) 8.2 before 8.2R12.1, 8.3 before 8.3R7.1, and 9.0 before 9.0R3.4, an unauthenticated remote attacker can send a specially crafted URI to perform an arbitrary file reading vulnerability .
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2019-11510)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2019-11510 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2019-11510 is rated CVSS 10.0 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 100.0%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2019-11510?
Primary impacted vendors include pulsesecure across pulse_connect_secure. Scope summary: Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) versions before 8.2R12.1, 8.3R7.1, and 9.0R3.4
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2019-11510 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately upgrade to the official patched firmware versions (8.2R12.1, 8.3R7.1, 9.0R3.4, or later). Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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