# CVE-2017-3839: XML external entity in Cisco Secure Access Control System

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit an XML External Entity flaw in the web interface to read sensitive system information.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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:** No
- **Published:** 22 Feb 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vgvw-m3x5-grc3

## What is CVE-2017-3839?

CVE-2017-3839 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Access Control System, published on 22 Feb 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An XML External Entity vulnerability in the web-based user interface of the Cisco Secure Access Control System (ACS) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to have read access to part of the information stored in the affected system. More Information: CSCvc04845. Known Affected Releases: 5.8(2.5).

Weakness: CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-3839?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Secure Access Control System.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-3839?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-3839 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-3839 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-3839 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Access Control System

- [CVE-2018-0147](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0147/): Cisco Secure Access Control System Java Deserialization (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0648](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0648/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-0650](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0650/): Command injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2018-0253](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0253/): Command injection in Cisco Secure Access Control System (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-0649](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0649/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-3839 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-3839 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Access Control System, published on 22 Feb 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-2017-3839 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Secure Access Control System. 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-2017-3839/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3839/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-3839
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-3839
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-3839

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3839/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.