# CVE-2017-14178: Security feature bypass in snapd

> Unprivileged users can bypass systemd-journald access restrictions to read system logs via the snap logs command.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-14178, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-14178

## What is CVE-2017-14178?

CVE-2017-14178 is a high-severity vulnerability in snapd, published on 2 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In snapd 2.27 through 2.29.2 the 'snap logs' command could be made to call journalctl without match arguments and therefore allow unprivileged, unauthenticated users to bypass systemd-journald's access restrictions.

Weakness: CWE-755 (Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-14178?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Snapcraft Snapd.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-14178?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-14178 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-14178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-14178 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-14178 is a high-severity vulnerability in snapd, published on 2 Feb 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-2017-14178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: snapd. 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-2017-14178/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14178/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-14178
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-14178
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-14178

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14178/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.