# CVE-2017-3891: Privilege escalation in QNX Software Development Platform (QNX SDP)

> An attacker with access to a secondary QNet node can escalate privileges to access or modify files on other QNX nodes regardless of permissions.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 22 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jcf6-fg3w-j8ph

## What is CVE-2017-3891?

CVE-2017-3891 is a critical vulnerability in BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (QNX SDP), published on 14 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) 6.6.0, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the default configuration of the QNX SDP with QNet enabled on networks comprising two or more QNet nodes could allow an attacker to access local and remote files or take ownership of files on other QNX nodes regardless of permissions by executing commands targeting arbitrary nodes from a secondary QNX 6.6.0 QNet node.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-923 (Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-3891?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Blackberry Qnx Software Development Platform.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-3891?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-3891 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-3891 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-3891 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (QNX SDP)

- [CVE-2020-6932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6932/): Path traversal in QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-2474](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-2474/): Vulnerability in PCX Image Codec Impacts QNX Software Development Platform (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-48856](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-48856/): Vulnerabilities in TIFF and PCX Image Codecs Impact QNX Software Development Platform (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-32024](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32024/): Memory corruption in QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-35213](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35213/): Vulnerability in SGI Image Codec Impacts BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-3891 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-3891 is a critical vulnerability in BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (QNX SDP), published on 14 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-3891 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: BlackBerry QNX Software Development Platform (QNX SDP). 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-2017-3891/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3891/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-3891
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-3891
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-3891

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3891/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.