How severe is CVE-2018-7572?

CVE-2018-7572 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over physical access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-7572 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-7572?

CVE-2018-7572 primarily affects Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-7572?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2018-7572 published?

CVE-2018-7572 was published on 2018-09-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-7572

CVE-2018-7572 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (28th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop
Published: 2018-09-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Pulse Secure Client 9.0R1 and 5.3RX before 5.3R5, when configured to authenticate VPN users during Windows Logon, can allow attackers to bypass Windows authentication and execute commands on the system with the privileges of Pulse Secure Client. The attacker must interrupt the client's network connectivity, and trigger a connection to a crafted proxy server with an invalid SSL certificate that allows certification-manager access, leading to the ability to browse local files and execute local programs.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-7572?: Pulse Secure Client 9.0R1 and 5.3RX before 5.3R5, when configured to authenticate VPN users during Windows Logon, can allow attackers to bypass Windows authentication and execute commands on the system with the privileges of Pulse Secure Client. The attacker must interrupt the client's network connectivity, and trigger a connection to a crafted proxy server with an invalid SSL certificate that allows certification-manager access, leading to the ability to browse local files and execute local programs.
How severe is CVE-2018-7572?: CVE-2018-7572 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over physical access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-7572 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-7572?: CVE-2018-7572 primarily affects Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-7572?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-7572 published?: CVE-2018-7572 was published on 2018-09-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.mdsec.co.uk/2018/09/advisory-cve-2018-7572-pulse-secure-client-authentication-bypass/

Affected products (9)

cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3r4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:5.3rx:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:pulsesecure:pulse_secure_desktop:9.0r1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop

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Other CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2026-47280 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper authentication in Azure Resource Manager (ARM) allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a…
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CVE-2026-20182 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and…

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