# CVE-2017-12115: Missing authorization in CPP-Ethereum

> An attacker can bypass authorization checks in the miner_setEtherbase API to access restricted functionality in the Ethereum client.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Jan 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-656q-c3hc-863w

## What is CVE-2017-12115?

CVE-2017-12115 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Talos CPP-Ethereum, published on 19 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An exploitable improper authorization vulnerability exists in miner_setEtherbase API of cpp-ethereum's JSON-RPC (commit 4e1015743b95821849d001618a7ce82c7c073768). A JSON request can cause an access to the restricted functionality resulting in authorization bypass.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-12115?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ethereum Cpp-Ethereum.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-12115?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-12115 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-12115 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-12115 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Talos CPP-Ethereum

- [CVE-2017-12119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12119/): Denial of service in CPP-Ethereum (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2017-12112](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12112/): Missing authorization in CPP-Ethereum (medium 4.0)
- [CVE-2017-12113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12113/): Missing authorization in CPP-Ethereum (medium 4.0)
- [CVE-2017-12114](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12114/): Missing authorization in CPP-Ethereum (medium 4.0)
- [CVE-2017-12117](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12117/): Missing authorization in CPP-Ethereum (medium 4.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-12115 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-12115 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Talos CPP-Ethereum, published on 19 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-12115 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Talos CPP-Ethereum. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12115/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12115/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-12115
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12115
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-12115

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12115/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.