Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
SSSD had an input-sanitization flaw in a user lookup path. In some centralized login deployments, a logged-in attacker could retrieve a locally cached password hash for a user. This is not described as unauthenticated or remotely exploitable without credentials.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate identity infrastructure issue. It is not reported as actively exploited, but password hash exposure on login systems can create downstream risk if affected hosts remain unpatched.
Technical view
CVE-2017-12173 is a CWE-20 injection issue in SSSD's sysdb_search_user_by_upn_res() before 1.16.0 when querying the local cache. If a password hash was locally cached, an authenticated attacker could retrieve it. CVSS v3.0 is 4.3.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using SSSD for centralized authentication with credential caching enabled. The source text identifies versions before 1.16.0, while the bundle's affected entry lists SSSD sssd 1.16.0; verify against vendor advisories.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Abuse requires authentication and a locally cached password hash for the target condition. The primary concern is confidentiality loss and possible follow-on credential risk from hash disclosure.
Researcher notes
Focus validation on SSSD local-cache query behavior, UPN lookup paths, and cached credential presence. Avoid assuming broader product impact beyond SSSD and vendor-packaged distributions named by the cited advisories. Evidence is incomplete on exact downstream version ranges in the provided bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Review Red Hat advisories RHSA-2017:3379 and RHSA-2018:1877 for applicable packages.
- Update SSSD using supported vendor security packages.
- Prioritize centralized login systems where SSSD credential caching is enabled.
- If patch status is unclear, check vendor guidance before changing authentication settings.
Validation and detection
- Inventory hosts running SSSD in centralized authentication environments.
- Confirm installed SSSD versions against vendor fixed package guidance.
- Identify systems where credential caching is enabled or required.
- Check security update records for RHSA-2017:3379 or RHSA-2018:1877 applicability.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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Open ATT&CK lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2017-12173 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.3 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N2.81.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
4.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- RHSA-2017:3379CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2017-12173CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- RHSA-2018:1877CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.