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CVE-2017-17562 — Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI…

Key facts

CVE-2017-17562 is a High (8.1) vulnerability: Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI…. This entry ships a detection-only PoC and a Docker test lab. It is on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog (added 2021-12-10), confirming active exploitation in the wild.

Actively exploited — on the CISA KEV catalog

CVE-2017-17562 is listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog (added 2021-12-10), confirming exploitation in the wild. Federal remediation deadline: 2022-06-10. Prioritise patching and deploy the detection and prevention rules below.
CVE CVE-2017-17562
Severity High (8.1)
CISA KEV Actively exploited (added 2021-12-10)
Detection / prevention —
PoC poc.py
Source 2017/CVE-2017-17562/

Details

English | 한국어

Description

Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI program is dynamically linked. This is a result of initializing the environment of forked CGI scripts using untrusted HTTP request parameters in the cgiHandler function in cgi.c. When combined with the glibc dynamic linker, this behaviour can be abused for remote code execution using special parameter names such as LD_PRELOAD. An attacker can POST their shared object payload in the body of the request, and reference it using /proc/self/fd/0.

Vulnerability Details

Property Value
CVE ID CVE-2017-17562
CVSS Score 8.1

Proof of Concept

Download

# Download PoC script
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fankh/vulnerability-poc/main/2017/CVE-2017-17562/poc.py

Usage

# Run PoC against target
python3 poc.py --target <TARGET_URL>

# With authentication
python3 poc.py --target <TARGET_URL> --username <USER> --password <PASS>

⚠️ Warning: This PoC is for authorized security testing only. It uses detection-only techniques and does not exploit or damage target systems.

Test Lab

This repository includes a Docker-based test environment with both vulnerable and patched applications.

Quick Start

# Clone and navigate to CVE directory
cd CVE-2017-17562

# Start both applications
docker-compose up -d

# Run tests
./run-tests.sh    # Linux/Mac
./run-tests.ps1   # Windows PowerShell

Application Endpoints

Application URL Status
Vulnerable App http://localhost:8080 Shows vulnerability
Patched App http://localhost:8081 Demonstrates fix

Directory Structure

├── README.md           # English documentation
├── README_KO.md        # Korean documentation
├── poc.py              # PoC detection script
├── docker-compose.yml  # Container orchestration
├── run-tests.sh        # Linux/Mac test runner
├── run-tests.ps1       # Windows test runner
├── vulnerable-app/     # Vulnerable version
│   ├── app.py
│   ├── Dockerfile
│   └── requirements.txt
└── patched-app/        # Fixed version
    ├── app.py
    ├── Dockerfile
    └── requirements.txt

References

  • http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2018-3678067.html
  • http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040702
  • https://github.com/elttam/advisories/tree/master/CVE-2017-17562
  • https://github.com/embedthis/goahead/commit/6f786c123196eb622625a920d54048629a7caa74
  • https://github.com/embedthis/goahead/issues/249
  • https://www.elttam.com.au/blog/goahead/
  • https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43360/
  • https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43877/
  • http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2018-3678067.html
  • http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040702
  • https://github.com/elttam/advisories/tree/master/CVE-2017-17562
  • https://github.com/embedthis/goahead/commit/6f786c123196eb622625a920d54048629a7caa74
  • https://github.com/embedthis/goahead/issues/249
  • https://www.elttam.com.au/blog/goahead/
  • https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43360/
  • https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43877/
  • https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-17562

Generated by PoC Generator on 2026-07-30T09:30:21.306272777

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-17562?

CVE-2017-17562 is a High (8.1) vulnerability: Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI…. This entry ships a detection-only PoC and a Docker test lab. It is on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog (added 2021-12-10), confirming active exploitation in the wild.

How do I detect CVE-2017-17562?

Run the detection-only PoC included with this entry against your Docker test lab to confirm whether a target is affected; pair it with your own IDS logging.

How do I block or mitigate CVE-2017-17562?

Upgrade to a fixed version per the vendor advisory; the NVD record lists the affected versions. Use the included PoC to verify your remediation.

Is CVE-2017-17562 actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2017-17562 is on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 2021-12-10, which means it has been exploited in the wild. CISA set a federal remediation deadline of 2022-06-10. Prioritise patching and deploy the detection and prevention rules above.

For authorized security testing and research only. See the full source and NVD record.