# CVE-2017-4917: Weak cryptography in vSphere Data Protection (VDP)

> VMware vSphere Data Protection stores vCenter credentials with reversible encryption, allowing attackers to obtain plaintext credentials.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Jun 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mrgm-rp63-hxmr

## What is CVE-2017-4917?

CVE-2017-4917 is a critical vulnerability in VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP), published on 7 Jun 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP) 6.1.x, 6.0.x, 5.8.x, and 5.5.x locally stores vCenter Server credentials using reversible encryption. This issue may allow plaintext credentials to be obtained.

Weakness: CWE-327 (Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-4917?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Vsphere Data Protection.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-4917?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-4917 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-4917 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-4917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP)

- [CVE-2017-4914](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4914/): Deserialization in vSphere Data Protection (VDP) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7456](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7456/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-4632](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4632/): Security feature bypass in n/a (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-4917 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-4917 is a critical vulnerability in VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP), published on 7 Jun 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-4917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware vSphere Data Protection (VDP). 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-2017-4917/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4917/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-4917
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-4917
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-4917

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4917/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.