# CVE-2017-6767: Privilege escalation in Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

> Authenticated attackers can gain elevated privileges matching the last SSH user via RBAC flaw in Cisco APIC.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-ppmg-gqm4-4xj4

## What is CVE-2017-6767?

CVE-2017-6767 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Systems, Inc. Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 17 Aug 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to gain higher privileges than the account is assigned. The attacker will be granted the privileges of the last user to log in, regardless of whether those privileges are higher or lower than what should have been granted. The attacker cannot gain root-level privileges. The vulnerability is due to a limitation with how Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) grants privileges to remotely authenticated users when login occurs via SSH directly to the local management interface of the APIC. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the targeted device. The attacker's privilege level will be modified to match that of the last user to log in via SSH. An exploit could allow the attacker to gain elevated privileges and perform CLI commands that should be restricted by the attacker's configured role. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvc34335. Known Affected Releases: 1.0(1e), 1.0(1h), 1.0(1k), 1.0(1n), 1.0(2j), 1.0(2m), 1.0(3f), 1.0(3i), 1.0(3k), 1.0(3n), 1.0(4h), 1.0(4o); 1.1(0.920a), 1.1(1j), 1.1(3f); 1.2 Base, 1.2(2), 1.2(3), 1.2.2; 1.3(1), 1.3(2), 1.3(2f); 2.0 Base, 2.0(1).

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-6767?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-6767?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-6767 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-6767 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-6767 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Systems, Inc. Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

- [CVE-2021-1393](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1393/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1396](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1396/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1577/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-20011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20011/): Cross-site request forgery in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-1578](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1578/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-6767 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-6767 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Systems, Inc. Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 17 Aug 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-6767 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Systems, Inc. Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). 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-2017-6767/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6767/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6767
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6767
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-6767

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6767/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.