Cyber Resilience

CVE-2019-17662

Path Traversal in Cybelsoft Thinvnc 1.0

Public PoCHigh EPSSPath TraversalExposed Creds
Published
16 October 2019
Modified
21 November 2024
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.97 99.9th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2019-17662 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Cybelsoft Thinvnc. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked in the top 0.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A01:2025 Broken Access ControlA06:2025 Insecure Design

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

ThinVNC 1.0b1 is vulnerable to arbitrary file read, which leads to a compromise of the VNC server. The vulnerability exists even when authentication is turned on during the deployment of the VNC server. The password for authentication is stored in…

more

cleartext in a file that can be read via a ../../ThinVnc.ini directory traversal attack vector.

CWE(s)
CWE-22CWE-522

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1021 Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may use [Valid Accounts](https://attack.
attack.mitre.org →
T1078 Valid Accounts Stealth
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion.
attack.mitre.org →
T1114.002 Remote Email Collection Collection
Adversaries may target an Exchange server, Office 365, or Google Workspace to collect sensitive information.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-44158Shared CWE-522
CVE-2023-36266Shared CWE-522
CVE-2025-2772Shared CWE-522
CVE-2023-38548Shared CWE-522
CVE-2023-32338Shared CWE-522
CVE-2025-61776Shared CWE-522
CVE-2024-47162Shared CWE-522
CVE-2024-29216Shared CWE-522
CVE-2024-23583Shared CWE-522
CVE-2023-6254Shared CWE-522

Affected Assets

cybelsoft
thinvnc
1.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2
  • V11.3.3

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

AT-2 Literacy Training and Awareness
addresses: CWE-522

Training instructs users on protecting credentials from disclosure or unauthorized access.

AT-4 Training Records
addresses: CWE-522

Training records for security awareness and role-based training verify education on credential protection practices, tangibly reducing risks from mishandling or exposing credentials.

IA-5 Authenticator Management
addresses: CWE-522

Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification while requiring protective controls addresses insufficiently protected credentials.

PL-4 Rules of Behavior
addresses: CWE-522

Rules of behavior include credential protection and non-sharing requirements, reducing exposure of insufficiently protected credentials.

PS-4 Personnel Termination
addresses: CWE-522

Terminating or revoking credentials stops use of insufficiently protected or lingering credentials post-termination.

SC-28 Protection of Information at Rest
addresses: CWE-522

Requiring confidentiality/integrity protection for stored credentials directly mitigates insufficiently protected credentials on disk or in configuration stores.

SC-37 Out-of-band Channels
addresses: CWE-522

Credentials or keys delivered out-of-band are not exposed to interception or inadequate protection on the main transport.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-22

Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 full match
prevents

Encrypting data-at-rest fully prevents insecure credential storage while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.

PR.DS-02 full match
prevents

Encrypting data-in-transit fully prevents interception of credentials in motion while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.

PR.AA-01 mostly match
prevents

Credential management practices directly reduce insecure storage/transmission but do not guarantee encryption or transport protection.

PR.AA-04 mostly match
prevents

Protecting identity assertions covers conveyance of credentials but is narrower than full credential lifecycle protection.

PR.AA-03 partial match
prevents

Authentication policies can enforce stronger credential handling yet address only verification, not storage or transit protection.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.5.17 Authentication information mostly match
prevents

Requiring protected storage, transmission, and non-display of passwords prevents credentials from being stored or sent in clear text where they can be harvested by unauthorized actors.

A.8.24 Use of cryptography mostly match
prevents

Protecting secret and private keys against disclosure and unauthorized use decreases the exposure of credentials that are stored or transmitted in recoverable form.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis.

A.8.5 Secure authentication mostly match
prevents

Forbidding clear-text transmission and display of passwords, plus the use of stronger alternatives to passwords, prevents credentials from being obtained or reused by attackers.

A.5.10 Acceptable use of information and other associated assets partial match
prevents

Acceptable-use expectations that cover protection of credentials and information assets throughout their lifecycle discourage practices that expose or mishandle authentication material.

A.6.2 Terms and conditions of employment partial match
prevents

Contractual clauses that survive termination help ensure that credentials and other secrets are not retained or misused after employment ends.

References