# CVE-2017-8442: Information disclosure in Elasticsearch X-Pack Security

> Authenticated users can view sensitive SSL key paths and passphrases via the _nodes API in Elasticsearch X-Pack Security.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** No
- **Published:** 7 Jul 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9j38-893w-vvh9

## What is CVE-2017-8442?

CVE-2017-8442 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Elasticsearch X-Pack Security, published on 7 Jul 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Elasticsearch X-Pack Security versions 5.0.0 to 5.4.3, when enabled, can result in the Elasticsearch _nodes API leaking sensitive configuration information, such as the paths and passphrases of SSL keys that were configured as part of an authentication realm. This could allow an authenticated Elasticsearch user to improperly view these details.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor), CWE-402 (Transmission of Private Resources into a New Sphere)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-8442?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Elastic X-Pack.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-8442?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-8442 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-8442 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-8442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Elasticsearch X-Pack Security

- [CVE-2018-3822](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3822/): Auth bypass in X-Pack Security (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-8448](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8448/): Privilege escalation in Elastic X-Pack Alerting (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-8438](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8438/): Privilege escalation in X-Pack Security (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-8450](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8450/): Missing authorization in Elastic X-Pack Security (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2017-8447](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8447/): Privilege escalation in Elastic X-Pack Security (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-8442 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-8442 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Elasticsearch X-Pack Security, published on 7 Jul 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-2017-8442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Elasticsearch X-Pack Security. 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-2017-8442/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8442/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-8442
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8442
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-8442

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8442/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.