CVE-2019-12419

Potential session hijack in Apache CXF

Apache CXF before 3.3.4 and 3.2.11 provides all of the components that are required to build a fully fledged OpenId Connect service. There is a vulnerability in the access token services, where it does not validate that the authenticated principal is equal to that of the supplied clientId parameter in the request. If a malicious client was able to somehow steal an authorization code issued to another client, then they could exploit this vulnerability to obtain an access token for the other client.

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2019-12419 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.2.11, 3.3.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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1. What is CVE-2019-12419? CVE-2019-12419 is a critical-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf (maven), affecting versions < 3.2.11. It is fixed in 3.2.11, 3.3.4. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is CVE-2019-12419? CVE-2019-12419 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of org.apache.cxf:cxf are affected by CVE-2019-12419? org.apache.cxf:cxf (maven) versions < 3.2.11 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2019-12419? Yes. CVE-2019-12419 is fixed in 3.2.11, 3.3.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2019-12419 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2019-12419 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2019-12419 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2019-12419?
   • Upgrade org.apache.cxf:cxf to 3.2.11 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.cxf:cxf to 3.3.4 or later

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