CVE-2019-18818

CRITICAL EXPLOITED NUCLEI

Strapi CMS Unauthenticated Password Reset

Title source: metasploit
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2019-18818 has been observed exploited in the wild (reported by VulnCheck KEV). EIP tracks 10 public exploits from researchers including WackyH4cker, David Anglada, guglia001, including a Metasploit module auxiliary/scanner/http/strapi_3_password_reset. A Nuclei detection template is also available.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This Metasploit module exploits an unauthenticated password reset vulnerability in Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta.17.4 by sending a crafted JSON payload to the reset-password endpoint, allowing an attacker to change the admin password.

Description

strapi before 3.0.0-beta.17.5 mishandles password resets within packages/strapi-admin/controllers/Auth.js and packages/strapi-plugin-users-permissions/controllers/Auth.js.

Exploits (10)

exploitdb WORKING POC
by WackyH4cker · rubywebappsnodejs
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/50716

This Metasploit module exploits an unauthenticated password reset vulnerability in Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta.17.4 by sending a crafted JSON payload to the reset-password endpoint, allowing an attacker to change the admin password.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta.17.4
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the target Strapi CMS instance
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC
by David Anglada · pythonwebappsmultiple
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/50237

This exploit targets Strapi 3.0.0-beta and 3.0.0-alpha by leveraging an unauthenticated password reset vulnerability (CVE-2019-18818). It sends a password reset request and sets a new password without requiring authentication.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi 3.0.0-beta and 3.0.0-alpha
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Valid email of a user account · Access to the Strapi admin interface URL
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 3 stars
by guglia001 · remote
https://github.com/guglia001/CVE-2019-18818

This PoC exploits an authentication bypass vulnerability in Strapi CMS by sending a password reset request with an empty code object, allowing an attacker to reset the admin password without proper validation. The exploit leverages a flawed password reset mechanism in Strapi versions <= 3.0.0-beta.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS <= 3.0.0-beta
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target URL · Admin email address
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by abelsrzz · remote
https://github.com/abelsrzz/CVE-2019-18818_CVE-2019-19609

This repository contains a functional Python exploit for CVE-2019-18818 (password reset bypass) and CVE-2019-19609 (RCE via plugin installation) in Strapi CMS. The script resets the admin password and executes a reverse shell payload.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target Strapi instance · Network connectivity to the target · Local IP and port for reverse shell
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by Hackhoven · remote
https://github.com/Hackhoven/Strapi-RCE

This repository contains a functional exploit script that chains CVE-2019-18818 and CVE-2019-19609 to achieve unauthenticated remote code execution in Strapi CMS. The exploit first resets an admin password to obtain a JWT token, then uses it to install a malicious plugin that triggers a reverse shell.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS versions 3.0.0-beta.17.4 and lower
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target Strapi CMS instance · Network connectivity to the target · Listener setup for reverse shell
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by hadrian3689 · poc
https://github.com/hadrian3689/strapi_cms_3.0.0-beta.17.7

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2019-18818, targeting Strapi CMS versions 3.0.0-beta.17.7 and earlier. The exploit chains a password reset vulnerability with an authenticated RCE to achieve a reverse shell.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS < 3.0.0-beta.17.5
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target Strapi CMS instance · Network access to the target · Listener for reverse shell
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by rasyidfox · remote
https://github.com/rasyidfox/CVE-2019-18818

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2019-18818, which targets a password reset vulnerability in Strapi CMS. The exploit sends a password reset request and sets a new password without proper validation, allowing an attacker to take over an admin account.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS (versions affected by CVE-2019-18818)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Knowledge of the admin email address · Access to the target Strapi CMS instance
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
remote
https://github.com/glowbase/CVE-2019-19609

This repository contains a functional exploit for Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta.17.4, chaining CVE-2019-18818 (weak password recovery) and CVE-2019-19609 (command injection) to achieve unauthenticated remote code execution via a reverse shell.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS version 3.0.0-beta.17.4 or lower
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta.17.4 or lower · Network access to target · Netcat listener for reverse shell
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 26, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
remote
https://github.com/Shadawks/Strapi-CVE-2019-1881

This exploit targets CVE-2019-18818, an authentication bypass vulnerability in Strapi CMS versions 3.0.0-beta and 3.0.0-alpha. It resets the password of a specified user by exploiting a weak password reset mechanism, allowing unauthorized access.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS 3.0.0-beta, 3.0.0-alpha
No auth needed
Prerequisites: target URL · valid user email
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 26, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC
by WackyH4cker, h00die · rubypoc
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/auxiliary/scanner/http/strapi_3_password_reset.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2019-18818, an unauthenticated password reset vulnerability in Strapi CMS versions up to 3.0.0-beta.17.4. It abuses a mishandled password reset request to change the admin password by sending a crafted JSON payload.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Strapi CMS <= 3.0.0-beta.17.4
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the Strapi CMS admin interface
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

Nuclei Templates (1)

strapi CMS <3.0.0-beta.17.5 - Admin Password Reset
CRITICALby idealphase

References (6)

Core 6
Core References
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://github.com/strapi/strapi/pull/4443
Release Notes, Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/tag/v3.0.0-beta.17.5
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1311
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry x_refsource_misc
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163939/Strapi-3.0.0-beta-Authentication-Bypass.html

Scores

CVSS v3 9.8
EPSS 0.9405
EPSS Percentile 99.9%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

VulnCheck KEV 2023-03-21
CWE
CWE-640
Status published
Products (2)
npm/strapi 0 - 3.0.0-beta.17.5npm
strapi/strapi 3.0.0 alpha10.1 (49 CPE variants)
Published Nov 07, 2019
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026