# CVE-2017-4921: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Unprivileged host users can escalate privileges by exploiting unsafe library loading via LD_LIBRARY_PATH in VMware vCenter Server.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 1 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cvwm-vf9r-8r57

## What is CVE-2017-4921?

CVE-2017-4921 is a high-severity vulnerability in Vmware Vcenter Server, published on 1 Aug 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware vCenter Server (6.5 prior to 6.5 U1) contains an insecure library loading issue that occurs due to the use of LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable in an unsafe manner. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow unprivileged host users to load a shared library that may lead to privilege escalation.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-4921?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Vcenter Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-4921?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-4921 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-4921 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-4921 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Vcenter Server

- [CVE-2026-59310](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59310/): Broadcom VMware vCenter Path Traversal (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-34048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34048/): VMware vCenter Server Out-of-Bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-3952](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3952/): VMware vCenter Server Information Disclosure (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22017/): VMware vCenter Server Improper Access Control (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2342](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2342/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-4921 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-4921 is a high-severity vulnerability in Vmware Vcenter Server, published on 1 Aug 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-2017-4921 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Vcenter Server. 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-2017-4921/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4921/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-4921
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-4921
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-4921

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4921/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.