CVE-2019-5016
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn exploitable arbitrary memory read vulnerability exists in the KCodes NetUSB.ko kernel module which enables the ReadySHARE Printer functionality of at least two NETGEAR Nighthawk Routers and potentially several other vendors/products. A specially crafted index value can cause an invalid memory read, resulting in a denial of service or remote information disclosure. An unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted packet on the local network to trigger this vulnerability.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA critical arbitrary memory read vulnerability exists in the KCodes NetUSB.ko kernel module used for ReadySHARE Printer functionality in NETGEAR Nighthawk routers. The flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker on the local network to send a specially crafted packet containing a malicious index value, causing invalid memory reads that can lead to denial of service or remote information disclosure.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 1.0.4.28_10.1.54= 1.0.3.810.037= 1.0.2.66= 1.0.2.69CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify router modelCheck if the device is a NETGEAR Nighthawk router, specifically model R8000 or R7900, via web interface status page, router label, or SNMP queryAffected if Device model is NETGEAR R8000 or R7900
-
Check router firmware versionAccess router web UI (typically at 192.168.1.1) and navigate to Administration > Firmware Update or Router Status to view current firmware version, or use `nvram get firmware_version` via telnet/SSH if availableAffected if Firmware version equals 1.0.4.28_10.1.54 (R8000) or 1.0.3.810.037 (R7900)
-
Verify NetUSB.ko kernel module presenceCheck if the NetUSB.ko module is loaded on the router via `lsmod` command over telnet/SSH, or inspect `/proc/modules`Affected if NetUSB.ko module is loaded in memory
-
Confirm ReadySHARE Printer is enabledCheck router web UI under USB or ReadySHARE settings for Printer functionality status, or inspect router configuration via `nvram get` for printer-related variablesAffected if ReadySHARE Printer feature is turned ON
-
Check NetUSB.ko module versionIf accessible, run `modinfo NetUSB.ko` or check module file version string if the .ko file is extractable from the firmwareAffected if NetUSB.ko version equals 1.0.2.66 or 1.0.2.69
Device is affected if it is a NETGEAR R8000 or R7900 router with the specific vulnerable firmware version AND the ReadySHARE Printer feature is enabled, exposing the NetUSB.ko service to local network attackers.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply available vendor firmware updates from NETGEAR or affected product manufacturers; if no update exists, disable the ReadySHARE Printer functionality as a compensating control until a patch is released.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2019-5016 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2019-5016 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data