# CVE-2017-9978: Information disclosure in n/a

> An attacker can enumerate valid usernames on OSNEXUS QuantaStor appliances by analyzing error messages for non-existent users.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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:** 28 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mhgv-8f6x-7g2p

## What is CVE-2017-9978?

CVE-2017-9978 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

On the OSNEXUS QuantaStor v4 virtual appliance before 4.3.1, a flaw was found with the error message sent as a response for users that don't exist on the system. An attacker could leverage this information to fine-tune and enumerate valid accounts on the system by searching for common usernames.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-9978?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Osnexus Quantastor.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-9978?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-9978 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-9978 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-9978 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- QuantaStor Software Defined Storage < 4.3.1 - Multiple Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-42081](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42081/): Authenticated Remote Command Execution vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2021-4406](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4406/): Authenticated Remote COmmand Execution as root in OSNEXUS QuantaStor version 6.0.0.355 and others (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2021-42083](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42083/): Authenticated Stored XSS in OSNEXUS QuantaStor 6.0.0.335 (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2021-42082](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42082/): Local Privilege Escalation to root in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42080](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42080/): Reflected XSS vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (high 7.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-9978 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-9978 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Aug 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-2017-9978 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-2017-9978/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9978/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-9978
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9978
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-9978

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9978/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.