CVE-2019-9858

CVE-2019-9858 is a high-severity vulnerability in Horde Groupware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 19% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Description

Remote code execution was discovered in Horde Groupware Webmail 5.2.22 and 5.2.17. Horde/Form/Type.php contains a vulnerable class that handles image upload in forms. When the Horde_Form_Type_image method onSubmit() is called on uploads, it invokes the functions getImage() and _getUpload(), which uses unsanitized user input as a path to save the image. The unsanitized POST parameter object[photo][img][file] is saved in the $upload[img][file] PHP variable, allowing an attacker to manipulate the $tmp_file passed to move_uploaded_file() to save the uploaded file. By setting the parameter to (for example) ../usr/share/horde/static/bd.php, one can write a PHP backdoor inside the web root. The static/ destination folder is a good candidate to drop the backdoor because it is always writable in Horde installations. (The unsanitized POST parameter went probably unnoticed because it's never submitted by the forms, which default to securely using a random path.)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-9858?
Remote code execution was discovered in Horde Groupware Webmail 5.2.22 and 5.2.17. Horde/Form/Type.php contains a vulnerable class that handles image upload in forms. When the Horde_Form_Type_image method onSubmit() is called on uploads, it invokes the functions getImage() and _getUpload(), which uses unsanitized user input as a path to save the image. The unsanitized POST parameter object[photo][img][file] is saved in the $upload[img][file] PHP variable, allowing an attacker to manipulate the $tmp_file passed to move_uploaded_file() to save the uploaded file. By setting the parameter to (for example) ../usr/share/horde/static/bd.php, one can write a PHP backdoor inside the web root. The static/ destination folder is a good candidate to drop the backdoor because it is always writable in Horde installations. (The unsanitized POST parameter went probably unnoticed because it's never submitted by the forms, which default to securely using a random path.)
How severe is CVE-2019-9858?
CVE-2019-9858 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-9858 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 19% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-9858?
CVE-2019-9858 primarily affects Horde Groupware. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-9858?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-9858 published?
CVE-2019-9858 was published on 2019-05-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

More vulnerabilities in Horde Groupware

All CVEs affecting Horde Groupware →

Other CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities

Browse all CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities →