Cyber Resilience

CVE-2017-16651

Roundcube Webmail ≤ 1.1.9

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoC
Published
09 November 2017
Modified
21 April 2026
KEV Added
03 November 2021
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.37 98th percentile
Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

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 Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 2% 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

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…

more

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

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1039 Data from Network Shared Drive Collection
Adversaries may search network shares on computers they have compromised to find files of interest.
T1119 Automated Collection Collection
Once established within a system or network, an adversary may use automated techniques for collecting internal data.
T1530 Data from Cloud Storage Collection
Adversaries may access data from cloud storage.
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.004 Private Keys Credential Access
Adversaries may search for private key certificate files on compromised systems for insecurely stored credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

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CVE-2023-43770Same product: Debian Debian Linuxboth on KEV
CVE-2024-37384Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-5631Same product: Debian Debian Linuxboth on KEV
CVE-2021-44026Same product: Debian Debian Linuxboth on KEV
CVE-2020-13965Same product: Debian Debian Linuxboth on KEV
CVE-2020-35730Same product: Debian Debian Linuxboth on KEV
CVE-2025-68461Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2024-42009Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV

Affected Assets

roundcube
webmail
1.2.0, 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.2.4 · ≤ 1.1.9
debian
debian linux
7.0, 9.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 5 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • 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.

addresses: CWE-552

Controls on authorized publication limit files and directories with nonpublic data from becoming accessible to external parties.

addresses: CWE-552

Controlling and documenting P2P file sharing prevents files and directories from being made accessible to external parties for unauthorized distribution.

addresses: CWE-552

Identifying and documenting file and directory locations allows restriction of access to external parties.

addresses: CWE-552

Protecting backup files ensures they are not accessible to external parties or unauthorized spheres.

addresses: CWE-552

Sanitizing equipment before off-site maintenance reduces the risk of files or directories containing sensitive data becoming accessible to external parties.

addresses: CWE-552

Policy restricts media access to authorized parties only, preventing exposure of resources to external or unauthorized actors.

addresses: CWE-552

Media access restrictions prevent files or directories from being accessible to external parties.

addresses: CWE-552

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.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Enforcing least-privilege permissions and authorization policies directly prevents unauthorized file/directory exposure.

PR.IR-01 mostly match
prevents

Logical segmentation and access protections stop external parties from reaching files that should remain internal.

PR.DS-01 partial match
prevents

Data-at-rest protections such as encryption or ACLs reduce the impact of unintended file exposure.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

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.

mitigates

By tracing and retrieving all copies of information stored on endpoint and portable devices, the control reduces the likelihood that files remain accessible outside the organization’s security perimeter.

mitigates

Labeling information according to its sensitivity and specifying corresponding protection measures makes it less probable that files or directories containing sensitive content will be left accessible to external parties.

mitigates

Including asset location and ownership in the inventory, combined with secure disposal procedures, decreases the chance that files or directories remain accessible to external parties after they should have been removed or restricted.

mitigates

Solid perimeters and locked external access points stop files, devices, or directories containing sensitive data from being reachable by external parties who could otherwise walk in or break in.

mitigates

Authorizing and logging the removal of storage media, disabling unused ports, and monitoring transfers limit the exposure of files or directories to external parties outside the organization’s controlled environment.

mitigates

Segregating delivery/loading zones and controlling external doors prevents external parties from reaching directories or resources that should remain inaccessible.

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` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248579 OL 8 must restrict access to the kernel message buffer. prevents CWE-552
  • V-248597 There must be no "shosts.equiv" files on the OL 8 operating system. prevents CWE-552

References