# CVE-2017-9421: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication to execute API calls on behalf of users via a crafted token request in Accellion kiteworks.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 May 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q566-6jpj-4x53

## What is CVE-2017-9421?

CVE-2017-9421 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Accellion Kiteworks, published on 24 May 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Authentication Bypass vulnerability in Accellion kiteworks before 2017.01.00 allows remote attackers to execute certain API calls on behalf of a web user using a gathered token via a POST request to /oauth/token.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-9421?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Accellion Kiteworks.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-9421?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-9421 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-9421 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-9421 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Accellion Kiteworks

- [CVE-2026-102115](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102115/): Kiteworks Core Authentication Bypass in the Password Reset Workflow (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-102149](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102149/): Kiteworks Email Protection Gateway Improper Access Control (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-102147](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102147/): Kiteworks Core Administrative Account Takeover through Stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-102095](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102095/): Kiteworks Email Protection Gateway server-side request forgery (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-102102](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102102/): Kiteworks Email Protection Gateway server-side request forgery (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-9421 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-9421 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Accellion Kiteworks, published on 24 May 2018. 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-2017-9421 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Accellion Kiteworks. 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-2017-9421/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9421/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-9421
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9421
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-9421

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9421/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.