# CVE-2017-20238: Hirschmann Industrial HiVision Improper Authorization Privilege Escalation

> Read-only users can gain write access to managed devices via alternative interfaces, allowing unauthorized configuration changes in Hirschmann Industrial HiVision.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j2fr-26h3-2878

## What is CVE-2017-20238?

CVE-2017-20238 is a high-severity vulnerability in Belden Hirschmann Industrial HiVision, published on 3 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Hirschmann Industrial HiVision versions 06.0.00 and 07.0.00 prior to 06.0.06 and 07.0.01 contains an improper authorization vulnerability that allows read-only users to gain write access to managed devices by bypassing access control mechanisms. Attackers can exploit alternative interfaces such as the web interface or SNMP browser to modify device configurations despite having restricted permissions.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-20238?


## How do I fix CVE-2017-20238?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-20238 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-20238 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-20238 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-20238 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-20238 is a high-severity vulnerability in Belden Hirschmann Industrial HiVision, published on 3 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-20238 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Belden Hirschmann Industrial HiVision. 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-2017-20238/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20238/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-20238
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-20238
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-20238

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20238/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.