How severe is CVE-2019-5642?

CVE-2019-5642 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2019-5642 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-5642?

CVE-2019-5642 primarily affects Rapid7 Metasploit. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-5642?

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

When was CVE-2019-5642 published?

CVE-2019-5642 was published on 2019-11-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-5642

CVE-2019-5642 is a low-severity vulnerability in Rapid7 Metasploit with a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3. 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-732.

Key facts

Severity: Low (CVSS 3.x base score 3.3)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (23rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-732
Affected product: Rapid7 Metasploit
Published: 2019-11-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Rapid7 Metasploit Pro version 4.16.0-2019081901 and prior suffers from an instance of CWE-732, wherein the unique server.key is written to the file system during installation with world-readable permissions. This can allow other users of the same system where Metasploit Pro is installed to intercept otherwise private communications to the Metasploit Pro web interface.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-5642?: Rapid7 Metasploit Pro version 4.16.0-2019081901 and prior suffers from an instance of CWE-732, wherein the unique server.key is written to the file system during installation with world-readable permissions. This can allow other users of the same system where Metasploit Pro is installed to intercept otherwise private communications to the Metasploit Pro web interface.
How severe is CVE-2019-5642?: CVE-2019-5642 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2019-5642 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-5642?: CVE-2019-5642 primarily affects Rapid7 Metasploit. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-5642?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2019-5642 published?: CVE-2019-5642 was published on 2019-11-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://help.rapid7.com/metasploit/release-notes/?rid=4.16.0-2019091001

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:*:*:*:*:pro:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:4.16.0:-:*:*:pro:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:4.16.0:20190722:*:*:pro:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:4.16.0:20190805:*:*:pro:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:4.16.0:2019081901:*:*:pro:*:*:*

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