# CVE-2017-8921: Path traversal in n/a

> A malicious aircraft resource can overwrite user files via path traversal in the FlightGear simulator, requiring an upgrade to fix.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 May 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-8921, GHSA-cm86-qqq5-r5v2, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-8921

## What is CVE-2017-8921?

CVE-2017-8921 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 May 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In FlightGear before 2017.2.1, the FGCommand interface allows overwriting any file the user has write access to, but not with arbitrary data: only with the contents of a FlightGear flightplan (XML). A resource such as a malicious third-party aircraft could exploit this to damage files belonging to the user. Both this issue and CVE-2016-9956 are directory traversal vulnerabilities in Autopilot/route_mgr.cxx - this one exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-9956.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-8921?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Flightgear Flightgear.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-8921?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-8921 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-8921 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2012-2090](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2090/): Other in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-2091](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2091/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2017-13709](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13709/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-8921 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-8921 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 May 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-2017-8921 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2017-8921/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8921/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-8921
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8921
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-8921

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8921/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.