# CVE-2017-16935: Missing authorization in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication checks to access sensitive endpoints, allowing them to view user details and modify accounts, including changing admin passwords.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4x38-6389-m4h2

## What is CVE-2017-16935?

CVE-2017-16935 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Ametys before 4.0.3 requires authentication only for URIs containing a /cms/ substring, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via a direct request to /plugins/core-ui/servercomm/messages.xml, as demonstrated by changing the admin password by obtaining account details via a users/search.json request, and then modifying the account via an editUser request.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-16935?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ametys Ametys.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-16935?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-16935 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-16935 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16935 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Ametys CMS 4.0.2 - Password Reset (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-30614](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-30614/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2022-26159](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26159/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2022-50937](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50937/): Ametys CMS v4.4.1 - Cross Site Scripting (XSS) (medium 5.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-16935 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-16935 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Nov 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-2017-16935 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2017-16935/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16935/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16935
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16935
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-16935

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16935/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.