# CVE-2017-2295: Deserialization in Puppet server

> An attacker can achieve remote code execution on the Puppet server by sending maliciously crafted data that triggers unsafe YAML deserialization.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Jul 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-2295, DLA-1012-1, DSA-3862-1, GHSA-988w-9qqw-43hr, MGASA-2017-0156, SUSE-SU-2017:2113-1, SUSE-SU-2018:0600-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-2295

## What is CVE-2017-2295?

CVE-2017-2295 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 5 Jul 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Versions of Puppet prior to 4.10.1 will deserialize data off the wire (from the agent to the server, in this case) with a attacker-specified format. This could be used to force YAML deserialization in an unsafe manner, which would lead to remote code execution. This change constrains the format of data on the wire to PSON or safely decoded YAML.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-2295?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `puppet` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP2 | All versions | 3.8.5-15.3.3 |
| `puppet` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 3.8.5-15.3.3 |
| `puppet` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Advanced Systems Management 12 | All versions | 3.8.5-15.3.3 |
| `puppet` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.7.26-0.5.3.1 |
| `puppet` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.7.26-0.5.3.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Puppet Puppet.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-2295?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-2295 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2295 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-2017-2295 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-2295 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 5 Jul 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2295 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-2017-2295/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2295/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2295
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2295
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-2295

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2295/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.