CVE-2019-16278Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vectorHinoki check available

Unauthenticated code execution via carriage-return traversal bypass

Published Oct 14, 2019 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Traversal in Nazgul Nostromo nhttpd 1.9.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted HTTP requests. The libmy strcutl() function ignores embedded carriage returns, allowing attacker-controlled paths to bypass the directory traversal check in http_verify() and reach executables outside the document root. Exploitation requires a non-chrooted server and executes commands with the server process's privileges without authentication.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability99.03%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Traversal in Nazgul Nostromo nhttpd 1.9.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted HTTP requests. The libmy strcutl() function ignores embedded carriage returns, allowing attacker-controlled paths to bypass the directory traversal check in http_verify() and reach executables outside the document root. Exploitation requires a non-chrooted server and executes commands with the server process's privileges without authentication.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-16278
Published
Oct 14, 2019
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Marcus Glocker
Product
Nostromo nhttpd
Classifications
CWE-22, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 14, 2019CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=1.9.6
  2. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Marcus Glocker · Nostromo nhttpdversion=0 <=1.9.6; version=n/a

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 202610
Sep 23, 20264
Sep 24, 202610
Sep 25, 202617
Sep 26, 20266
Sep 27, 202613
Sep 28, 20269
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs9
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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