CVE-2019-18988

7.0 HIGH CISA KEV - Actively Exploited
Published: February 07, 2020 Modified: November 07, 2025

Description

TeamViewer Desktop through 14.7.1965 allows a bypass of remote-login access control because the same key is used for different customers' installations. It used a shared AES key for all installations since at least as far back as v7.0.43148, and used it for at least OptionsPasswordAES in the current version of the product. If an attacker were to know this key, they could decrypt protect information stored in the registry or configuration files of TeamViewer. With versions before v9.x , this allowed for attackers to decrypt the Unattended Access password to the system (which allows for remote login to the system as well as headless file browsing). The latest version still uses the same key for OptionPasswordAES but appears to have changed how the Unattended Access password is stored. While in most cases an attacker requires an existing session on a system, if the registry/configuration keys were stored off of the machine (such as in a file share or online), an attacker could then decrypt the required password to login to the system.

AI Explanation

Get an AI-powered plain-language explanation of this vulnerability and remediation steps.

Login to generate AI explanation

CVSS v3.x Details

0.0 Low Medium High Critical 10.0
Vector String
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Patch Vendor Advisory Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://twitter.com/Blurbdust/status/1224212682594770946?s=20
Source: cve@mitre.org
Third Party Advisory
https://whynotsecurity.com/blog/teamviewer/
Source: cve@mitre.org
Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://community.teamviewer.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/tkb-p/Knowledgebase?threadtype=label&labels=Security
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Broken Link Vendor Advisory
https://twitter.com/Blurbdust/status/1224212682594770946?s=20
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Third Party Advisory
https://whynotsecurity.com/blog/teamviewer/
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-18988
Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
US Government Resource

9 reference(s) from NVD

Quick Stats

CVSS v3 Score
7.0 / 10.0
EPSS (Exploit Probability)
10.4%
93th percentile
Exploitation Status
Actively Exploited
Remediation due: 2022-05-03

Weaknesses (CWE)

Affected Vendors

teamviewer