CVE-2017-5646

Name: CVE-2017-5646
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2017-05-26T21:29:00.433+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.8/10EPSS 0.75%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2017-5646 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.8/10 on the CVSS scale. For versions of Apache Knox from 0.2.0 to 0.11.0 - an authenticated user may use a specially crafted URL to impersonate another user while accessing WebHDFS through Apache Knox. This may result in escalated privileges and unauthorized data access. EPSS estimates a 0.75% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

For versions of Apache Knox from 0.2.0 to 0.11.0 - an authenticated user may use a specially crafted URL to impersonate another user while accessing WebHDFS through Apache Knox. This may result in escalated privileges and unauthorized data access. While this activity is audit logged and can be easily associated with the authenticated user, this is still a serious security issue. All users are recommended to upgrade to the Apache Knox 0.12.0 release.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.75%

50.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-346

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Apache	Knox	0.2.0
Apache	Knox	0.3.0
Apache	Knox	0.4.0
Apache	Knox	0.5.0
Apache	Knox	0.6.0
Apache	Knox	0.7.0
Apache	Knox	0.8.0
Apache	Knox	0.9.0
Apache	Knox	0.10.0
Apache	Knox	0.11.0

References

http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/knox-user/201705.mbox/%3CCACRbFyjtT7QQGHUzTRdbJoySbJb7tt4BDk5-r-VRn0GB0Kgvag%40mail.gmail.com%3EMailing List, Vendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98739Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcd6bcbcc08840d4e4bea661efe9a5ef8f6126ebbbc5bc266701d8f48%40%3Cdev.logging.apache.org%3E
http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/knox-user/201705.mbox/%3CCACRbFyjtT7QQGHUzTRdbJoySbJb7tt4BDk5-r-VRn0GB0Kgvag%40mail.gmail.com%3EMailing List, Vendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98739Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcd6bcbcc08840d4e4bea661efe9a5ef8f6126ebbbc5bc266701d8f48%40%3Cdev.logging.apache.org%3E

Timeline

Published: May 26, 2017
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2017-5646?

How severe is CVE-2017-5646?

CVE-2017-5646 has a CVSS score of 6.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.75% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2017-5646?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2017-5646?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST