# CVE-2017-5487: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can obtain sensitive user information via REST API requests due to improper restriction of post author listings in WordPress.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-5487, GHSA-94q7-f538-38mf

## What is CVE-2017-5487?

CVE-2017-5487 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 15 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-users-controller.php in the REST API implementation in WordPress 4.7 before 4.7.1 does not properly restrict listings of post authors, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a wp-json/wp/v2/users request.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-5487?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wordpress Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-5487?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-5487 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-5487 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- POC of CVE-2017-5487 + tool (github_poc): https://github.com/GeunSam2/CVE-2017-5487
- WordPress  CVE-2017-5487  Exploit in Python (github_poc): https://github.com/patilkr/wp-CVE-2017-5487-exploit
-  Wordpress Username Enumeration /CVE-2017-5487,WordPress < 4.7.1 - (github_poc): https://github.com/R3K1NG/wpUsersScan
- WordPress Core < 4.7.1 - Username Enumeration (exploitdb)
- Wordpress Username Enumeration /CVE-2017-5487,WordPress < 4.7.1 -  (github_poc): https://github.com/teambugsbunny/wpUsersScan
- https://github.com/zkhalidul/GrabberWP-CVE-2017-5487 (github_poc): https://github.com/zkhalidul/GrabberWP-CVE-2017-5487

## Other vulnerabilities in Wordpress Wordpress

- [CVE-2026-63030](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63030/): WordPress Core Interpretation Conflict (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-87902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87902/): WordPress Core Remote File Inclusion (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-60137](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-60137/): WordPress Core SQL Injection (medium 5.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-2399](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2399/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2400/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-5487 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-5487 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 15 Jan 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-2017-5487 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Wordpress Wordpress. 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-2017-5487/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5487/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-5487
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5487
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-5487

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5487/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.