# CVE-2017-6971: Command injection in n/a

> Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands or launch reverse shells via PHP session ID manipulation in AlienVault USM, OSSIM, and NfSen.

- **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:** 22 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q8hc-xr26-2j5g

## What is CVE-2017-6971?

CVE-2017-6971 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Mar 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

AlienVault USM and OSSIM before 5.3.7 and NfSen before 1.3.8 allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands in a privileged context, or launch a reverse shell, via vectors involving the PHP session ID and the NfSen PHP code, aka AlienVault ID ENG-104862.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-6971?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Alienvault Ossim, Alienvault Unified Security Management, Nfsen Nfsen.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-6971?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-6971 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-6971 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-6971 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Exploit for CVE-2017-6971 remote command execution in nfsen 1.3.7. (github_poc): https://github.com/patrickfreed/nfsen-exploit
- NfSen < 1.3.7 / AlienVault OSSIM 5.3.4 - Command Injection (exploitdb)
- https://github.com/KeyStrOke95/nfsen_1.3.7_CVE-2017-6971 (github_poc): https://github.com/KeyStrOke95/nfsen_1.3.7_CVE-2017-6971

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-6972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6972/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7955/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-6970](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6970/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2009-3439](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3439/): SQL injection in n/a (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2009-3441](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3441/): Auth bypass in n/a (medium 5.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-6971 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-6971 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Mar 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-6971 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2017-6971/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6971/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6971
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6971
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-6971

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6971/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.