CVE-2017-16544

In the add_match function in libbb/lineedit.c in BusyBox through 1.27.2, the tab autocomplete feature of the shell, used to get a list of filenames in a directory, does not sanitize filenames and results in executing any escape sequence in the terminal. This could potentially result in code execution, arbitrary file writes, or other attacks.

• CWE-94
• CWE-94

• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154361/Cisco-Device-Hardcoded-Credentials-GNU-glibc-BusyBox.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154536/VMware-Security-Advisory-2019-0013.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167552/Nexans-FTTO-GigaSwitch-Outdated-Components-Hardcoded-Backdoor.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Jun/18Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/20Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Mar/15Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Sep/6Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Aug/21Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Jan/39Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Jun/36Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2019-0013.htmlThird Party Advisory
• https://git.busybox.net/busybox/commit/?id=c3797d40a1c57352192c6106cc0f435e7d9c11e8Patch, Vendor Advisory
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00037.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jun/14Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Sep/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-20-240-01Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3935-1/Third Party Advisory
• https://www.twistlock.com/2017/11/20/cve-2017-16544-busybox-autocompletion-vulnerability/Third Party Advisory
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154361/Cisco-Device-Hardcoded-Credentials-GNU-glibc-BusyBox.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154536/VMware-Security-Advisory-2019-0013.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167552/Nexans-FTTO-GigaSwitch-Outdated-Components-Hardcoded-Backdoor.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Jun/18Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Sep/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Aug/20Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Mar/15Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Sep/6Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Aug/21Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Jan/39Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Jun/36Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2019-0013.htmlThird Party Advisory
• https://git.busybox.net/busybox/commit/?id=c3797d40a1c57352192c6106cc0f435e7d9c11e8Patch, Vendor Advisory
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00037.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jun/14Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Sep/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
• https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-20-240-01Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3935-1/Third Party Advisory
• https://www.twistlock.com/2017/11/20/cve-2017-16544-busybox-autocompletion-vulnerability/Third Party Advisory

Published

Nov 20, 2017

Last Modified

Jun 17, 2026

Status

Modified

• How Strix found a critical auth bypass in etcdStrix autonomously discovered a critical authentication bypass in etcd, later designated CVE-2026-33413.
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