CVE-2019-15956: A vulnerability in the web management interface of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an authenticated, remote ...

Description

A vulnerability in the web management interface of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to perform an unauthorized system reset on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper authorization controls for a specific URL in the web management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could have a twofold impact: the attacker could either change the administrator password, gaining privileged access, or reset the network configuration details, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition. In both scenarios, manual intervention is required to restore normal operations.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.98%

57.8th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-284

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Asyncos	>= 10.1, < 10.1.5-004
Cisco	Asyncos	>= 10.5, < 11.5.3-016
Cisco	Asyncos	>= 11.7, < 11.7.1-006
Cisco	Web Security Appliance	10.5.2-072
Cisco	Web Security Appliance	11.5.1-fcs-125
Cisco	Web Security Appliance	11.7.0-fcs-418

References

Timeline

Published: Nov 26, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-15956?

A vulnerability in the web management interface of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to perform an unauthorized system reset on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper authorization controls for a specific URL in the web management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could have a twofold impact: the attacker could either change the administrator password, gaining privileged access, or reset the network configuration details, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition. In both scenarios, manual intervention is required to restore normal operations.

How severe is CVE-2019-15956?

CVE-2019-15956 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.98% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-15956?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.