CVE-2019-1181

Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Critical · published August 14, 2019

Patch now

High probability of exploitation

CVSS calls it critical at 9.8. It sits in the 99.5th percentile for exploit probability.

CVSS v3.1
9.8
EPSS
76%
Percentile
99.5
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🔥 A crafty RDP connection is all it takes! An unauthenticated attacker can exploit a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Remote Desktop Services with just a specially crafted request! ⚡ Think of it like a delivery person showing up at your door, claiming to have a package that requires no signature. If you let them in, they can rummage through your entire home without you ever knowing! If this vulnerability is exploited, an attacker could execute arbitrary code on the target system, install programs, view, change, or delete sensitive data, and even create new accounts with full user rights. This is a nightmare scenario for any organization, as it could lead to total system compromise and data loss!

Put simply

Think of it like a delivery person showing up at your door, claiming to have a package that requires no signature. If you let them in, they can rummage through your entire home without you ever knowing! This vulnerability exists due to improper handling of connection requests by Remote Desktop Services, allowing an attacker to send crafted requests that can lead to arbitrary code execution without requiring authentication.

What to do

If this vulnerability is exploited, an attacker could execute arbitrary code on the target system, install programs, view, change, or delete sensitive data, and even create new accounts with full user rights. This is a nightmare scenario for any organization, as it could lead to total system compromise and data loss! To defend against this exploit, patch your systems immediately to the latest version provided by Microsoft. Ensure that Remote Desktop Services is configured securely by limiting access and monitoring connection attempts. You've got this! With the right steps, you can lock down your systems and keep the bad guys at bay! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
9.8 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.75750 · 99.5th percentile
Published
2019-08-14T20:55Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 14 AUG 20:55Z
    Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    cvelistv5