# CVE-2017-15906: Missing authorization in n/a > Attackers can create zero-length files in read-only mode due to improper permission checks in the OpenSSH SFTP server. - **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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:** 26 Oct 2017 - **Updated:** 28 May 2026 - **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2017-15906, DEBIAN-CVE-2017-15906, GHSA-543w-q592-87ph, MGASA-2017-0483, RHSA-2018:0980, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-15906 ## What is CVE-2017-15906? CVE-2017-15906 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 26 Oct 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description The process_open function in sftp-server.c in OpenSSH before 7.6 does not properly prevent write operations in readonly mode, which allows attackers to create zero-length files. Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-15906? It affects 21 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-cavs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-keycat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-ldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server-sysvinit` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `pam_ssh_agent_auth` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:0.10.3-2.16.el7 | | `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-cavs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-keycat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-ldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server-sysvinit` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `pam_ssh_agent_auth` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:0.10.3-2.16.el7 | | `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-cavs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-keycat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-ldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server-sysvinit` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `pam_ssh_agent_auth` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:0.10.3-2.16.el7 | | `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-cavs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-keycat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-ldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `openssh-server-sysvinit` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:7.4p1-16.el7 | | `pam_ssh_agent_auth` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:0.10.3-2.16.el7 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Netapp Active Iq Unified Manager, Netapp Cloud Backup, Netapp Clustered Data Ontap, Netapp Cn1610 Firmware, Netapp Data Ontap Edge, Netapp Hci Management Node, Netapp Oncommand Unified Manager Core Package, Netapp Solidfire, Netapp Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage, Netapp Storage Replication Adapter for Clustered Data Ontap, Netapp Vasa Provider for Clustered Data Ontap, Netapp Virtual Storage Console, OpenSSH, Oracle Sun Zfs Storage Appliance Kit, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus and 1 more. ## How do I fix CVE-2017-15906? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2017-15906 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-15906 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2017-15906 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2017-15906 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 26 Oct 2017. 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-2017-15906 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2017-15906/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15906/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-15906 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-15906 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-15906 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15906/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.