Cisco Email Security Appliance MP3 Content Filter Bypass Vulnerability
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-345.
Summary
A vulnerability in the MP3 detection engine of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass configured content filters on the device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of certain MP3 file types. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted MP3 file through the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass configured content filters that would normally drop the email.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) n/a
2 records Highest priority Priority LOW 2 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2019-12028 Cisco Email Security Appliance URL Filtering Bypass VulnerabilityPriority LOW 32
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-15971
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-qrpg-pg76-xv44
References
More Cisco Email Security Appliance Firmware vulnerabilities
- TI-2018-11013 Cisco Email Security Appliance Memory Corruption Denial of Service Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2016-05488 Cisco IronPort AsyncOS 9.1.2-023, 9.1.2-028, 9.1.2-036, 9.7.2-046, 9.7.2-047, 9.7.2-054… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-12004 Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV) Software Email Parsing Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2019-01575 Cisco Email Security Appliance Header Injection Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2014-01669 The End User Safelist/Blocklist (aka SLBL) service in Cisco AsyncOS Software for Email… CVSS 2.0HIGH 8.5
- TI-2019-09501 Cisco Email Security Appliance Filter Bypass Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2019-15971 · CVE Program
- CVE-2019-15971 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qrpg-pg76-xv44 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences