# CVE-2017-2623: Security feature bypass in rpm-ostree,

> Attackers can bypass GPG signature checks to install unsigned or malicious packages via rpm-ostree layering, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v473-h83f-x76x, RHSA-2017:0444

## What is CVE-2017-2623?

CVE-2017-2623 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 27 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

It was discovered that rpm-ostree and rpm-ostree-client before 2017.3 fail to properly check GPG signatures on packages when doing layering. Packages with unsigned or badly signed content could fail to be rejected as expected. This issue is partially mitigated on RHEL Atomic Host, where certificate pinning is used by default.

Weakness: CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-2623?

It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `rpm-ostree` | Red Hat:rhel_atomic:7 | All versions | 0:2017.1-5.atomic.el7 |
| `rpm-ostree-client` | Red Hat:rhel_atomic:7 | All versions | 0:2017.1-6.atomic.el7 |
| `rpm-ostree-client-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_atomic:7 | All versions | 0:2017.1-6.atomic.el7 |
| `rpm-ostree-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_atomic:7 | All versions | 0:2017.1-5.atomic.el7 |

Products: Redhat Enterprise Linux, Rpm-Ostree Rpm-Ostree, Rpm-Ostree Rpm-Ostree-Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-2623?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-2623 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2623 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux

- [CVE-2018-14667](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14667/): Red Hat JBoss RichFaces Framework Expression Language Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-20325](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20325/): Missing fixes for CVE-2021-40438 and CVE-2021-26691 in the versions of httpd, as shipped in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.5.0, causes a securit (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-25011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25011/): Memory corruption in libwebp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-25014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25014/): Other in libwebp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-3585](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3585/): Supply chain in redhat-upgrade-tool (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-2623 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-2623 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 27 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2623 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise 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-2017-2623/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2623/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2623
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2623
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-2623

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2623/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.