# CVE-2017-5524: Plone Sandbox Escape

> Remote attackers can bypass sandbox protections in Plone to obtain sensitive information via Python string format exploitation.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p5wr-vp8g-q5p4, PYSEC-2017-81

## What is CVE-2017-5524?

CVE-2017-5524 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Plone Plone, published on 23 Mar 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Plone 4.x through 4.3.11 and 5.x through 5.0.6 allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism and obtain sensitive information by leveraging the Python string format method.

Weakness: CWE-134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-5524?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including plone and Plone. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `plone` | PyPI | All versions | 4.3.12, 5.0.7 |
| `plone` | PyPI | From 4.0 | 4.3.12 |
| `plone` | PyPI | From 5.0rc1 | 5.0.7 |
| `plone` | PyPI | From 5.1a1 | 5.1b1 |
| `Plone` | PyPI | From 4.0 | 4.3.12 |
| `Plone` | PyPI | From 5.0rc1 | 5.0.7 |
| `Plone` | PyPI | From 5.1a1 | 5.1b1 |

Products: Plone Plone.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-5524?

Upgrade plone to a fixed version for your release line: 4.3.12, 5.0.7 or 5.1b1.

## Is CVE-2017-5524 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-5524 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Plone Plone

- [CVE-2021-33509](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33509/): Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource in Plone (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2020-35190](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35190/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-7941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7941/): Plone Unauthenticated Write Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2011-3587](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3587/): Zope Command Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2021-33926](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33926/): Server-Side Request Forgery in Plone CMS (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-5524 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-5524 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Plone Plone, published on 23 Mar 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-2017-5524 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- plone (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 4.3.12, 5.0.7
- plone (PyPI): affected from 4.0; fixed in 4.3.12
- plone (PyPI): affected from 5.0rc1; fixed in 5.0.7
- plone (PyPI): affected from 5.1a1; fixed in 5.1b1
- Plone (PyPI): affected from 4.0; fixed in 4.3.12
- Plone (PyPI): affected from 5.0rc1; fixed in 5.0.7
- Plone (PyPI): affected from 5.1a1; fixed in 5.1b1

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-2017-5524/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5524/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-5524
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5524
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-5524

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5524/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.