How severe is CVE-2019-1804?

CVE-2019-1804 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2019-1804 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-1804?

CVE-2019-1804 primarily affects Cisco Nexus 9332pq Firmware. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-1804?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2019-1804 published?

CVE-2019-1804 was published on 2019-05-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-1804

CVE-2019-1804 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nexus 9332pq Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. 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-1188.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 10.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (88th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-1188
Affected product: Cisco Nexus 9332pq Firmware
Published: 2019-05-03
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the SSH key management for the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Mode Switch Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to connect to the affected system with the privileges of the root user. The vulnerability is due to the presence of a default SSH key pair that is present in all devices. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by opening an SSH connection via IPv6 to a targeted device using the extracted key materials. An exploit could allow the attacker to access the system with the privileges of the root user. This vulnerability is only exploitable over IPv6; IPv4 is not vulnerable.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-1804?: A vulnerability in the SSH key management for the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Mode Switch Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to connect to the affected system with the privileges of the root user. The vulnerability is due to the presence of a default SSH key pair that is present in all devices. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by opening an SSH connection via IPv6 to a targeted device using the extracted key materials. An exploit could allow the attacker to access the system with the privileges of the root user. This vulnerability is only exploitable over IPv6; IPv4 is not vulnerable.
How severe is CVE-2019-1804?: CVE-2019-1804 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-1804 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-1804?: CVE-2019-1804 primarily affects Cisco Nexus 9332pq Firmware. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-1804?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-1804 published?: CVE-2019-1804 was published on 2019-05-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190501-nexus9k-sshkey

Affected products (13)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9332pq_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_93180yc-ex_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_93128tx_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_93120tx_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_93108tc-ex_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9516_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9508_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9504_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9500_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9396tx_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9396px_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9372tx_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nexus_9372px_firmware:14.0\(3d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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