Is CVE-2019-16028 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2019-16028 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2019-16028 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2019-16028 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-16028?

CVE-2019-16028 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2019-16028

CWE-287Published: September 23, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary actions with administrative privileges on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper handling of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) authentication responses from an external authentication server. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain administrative access to the web-based management interface of the affected device.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2019-16028 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.