CVE-2017-16651
Roundcube Webmail ≤ 1.1.9
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2017-16651 is a high-severity Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties (CWE-552) vulnerability in Roundcube Webmail. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Automated Collection (T1119); ranked in the top 1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
Roundcube Webmail versions before 1.1.10, 1.2.x before 1.2.7, and 1.3.x before 1.3.3 are affected by a file disclosure vulnerability that permits unauthorized access to arbitrary files on the host filesystem, including configuration files. The flaw is tied to file-based attachment plugins and the handling of specific requests containing the parameters _task=settings&_action=upload-display&_from=timezone, and it is tracked under CWE-552 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8.
An authenticated attacker who possesses valid credentials and maintains an active session can exploit the issue to read sensitive files on the underlying system. The vulnerability was observed being exploited in the wild during November 2017.
Official patches addressing the flaw are provided in the Roundcube releases 1.1.10, 1.2.7, and 1.3.3, which are referenced in the project's GitHub advisories and issue tracker. Security practitioners should apply these updates promptly on all affected installations.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2017-7838
Vulnerability Data
Roundcube Webmail before 1.1.10, 1.2.x before 1.2.7, and 1.3.x before 1.3.3 allows unauthorized access to arbitrary files on the host's filesystem, including configuration files, as exploited in the wild in November 2017. The attacker must be able to authenticate at…
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the target system with a valid username/password as the attack requires an active session. The issue is related to file-based attachment plugins and _task=settings&_action=upload-display&_from=timezone requests.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 03 November 2021
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 5 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
V8.4.2
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Controls on authorized publication limit files and directories with nonpublic data from becoming accessible to external parties.
Controlling and documenting P2P file sharing prevents files and directories from being made accessible to external parties for unauthorized distribution.
Identifying and documenting file and directory locations allows restriction of access to external parties.
Protecting backup files ensures they are not accessible to external parties or unauthorized spheres.
Sanitizing equipment before off-site maintenance reduces the risk of files or directories containing sensitive data becoming accessible to external parties.
Policy restricts media access to authorized parties only, preventing exposure of resources to external or unauthorized actors.
Media access restrictions prevent files or directories from being accessible to external parties.
Employing and evaluating controls at documented alternate sites makes files and directories less likely to be accessible to external parties through physical or environmental weaknesses.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Enforcing least-privilege permissions and authorization policies directly prevents unauthorized file/directory exposure.
Data-at-rest protections such as encryption or ACLs reduce the impact of unintended file exposure.
Logical segmentation and access protections stop external parties from reaching files that should remain internal.
Hardened configuration baselines commonly include file-system permission settings that limit external access.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
- V-248579 OL 8 must restrict access to the kernel message buffer. blocks CWE-552
- V-248597 There must be no "shosts.equiv" files on the OL 8 operating system. blocks CWE-552