# CVE-2017-6015: Path traversal in FactoryTalk Activation

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges due to unquoted file paths in FactoryTalk Activation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 May 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rfr4-xxfq-6j5j

## What is CVE-2017-6015?

CVE-2017-6015 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation, published on 11 May 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Without quotation marks, any whitespace in the file path for Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation version 4.00.02 remains ambiguous, which may allow an attacker to link to or run a malicious executable. This may allow an authorized, but not privileged local user to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on the system. CVSS v3 base score: 8.8, CVSS vector string: (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Rockwell Automation has released a new version of FactoryTalk Activation, Version 4.01, which addresses the identified vulnerability. Rockwell Automation recommends upgrading to the latest version of FactoryTalk Activation, Version 4.01 or later.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-6015?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rockwellautomation Factorytalk Activation.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-6015?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-6015 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-6015 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-6015 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-6015 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-6015 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation, published on 11 May 2018. 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-2017-6015 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation. 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-2017-6015/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6015/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6015
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6015
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-6015

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6015/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.