# CVE-2017-7945: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can enumerate valid account names via distinct error messages on the GlobalProtect interface, facilitating brute-force attacks.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Apr 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jx68-2fp3-jrpx

## What is CVE-2017-7945?

CVE-2017-7945 is a critical vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 29 Apr 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The GlobalProtect external interface in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS before 6.1.17, 7.x before 7.0.15, 7.1.x before 7.1.9, and 8.x before 8.0.2 provides different error messages for failed login attempts depending on whether the username exists, which allows remote attackers to enumerate account names and conduct brute-force attacks via a series of requests, aka PAN-SA-2017-0014 and PAN-72769.

Weakness: CWE-209 (Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-7945?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-7945?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-7945 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-7945 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-7945 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os

- [CVE-2024-3400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3400/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Command Injection (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-2021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2021/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-15944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15944/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-0300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0300/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-0012](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0012/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Management Interface Authentication Bypass (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-7945 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-7945 is a critical vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 29 Apr 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-2017-7945 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os. 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-2017-7945/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7945/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-7945
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-7945
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-7945

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7945/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.