CVE-2017-20218
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:XCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2017-20218 is a high-severity Unquoted Search Path or Element (CWE-428) vulnerability in Securiteam (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-15 (Development Process, Standards, and Tools) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2017-20218 is an unquoted search path vulnerability (CWE-428) in the Windows service of Serviio PRO 1.8. This flaw allows local users to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by placing malicious executables in the system root path. Additionally, improper directory permissions provide full access to the Users group, enabling authenticated users to replace the service's executable file with arbitrary binaries.
The vulnerability can be exploited by local authenticated users requiring low privileges (PR:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L) and no user interaction (UI:N). Attackers can achieve privilege escalation by leveraging the unquoted path during service startup or system reboot, resulting in high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CVSS:3.1 score of 7.8; AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Advisories and proof-of-concept exploits are available from sources including Securiteam, CXSecurity, IBM X-Force Exchange, PacketStorm Security, and Exploit-DB.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2017-18930
Vulnerability Data
Serviio PRO 1.8 contains an unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows service that allows local users to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by placing malicious executables in the system root path. Additionally, improper directory permissions with full access…
more
for the Users group allow authenticated users to replace the executable file with arbitrary binaries, enabling privilege escalation during service startup or system reboot.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation can discover unquoted search paths through static analysis or dynamic test cases.
Documented development standards and tools can mandate proper quoting and escaping of path elements.
Engineering principles can require safe construction and quoting of search paths and command elements.
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.
Secure SDLC practices directly prevent path-handling flaws such as unquoted elements during development.
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.
Security testing in development can detect unquoted search-path issues before deployment.
Enforcing controlled software installation can prevent unquoted search-path elements in executables and scripts.
Secure development lifecycle practices include input validation and path handling that reduce unquoted search-path weaknesses.
Secure system architecture and engineering principles require safe path construction and quoting conventions.
Secure coding standards directly mandate quoting search paths and avoiding unsafe path construction.
Change-management processes can enforce review of path-handling changes that might introduce unquoted elements.