Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Mosquitto versions through 1.4.12 may create the persistence database as world-readable. A local user on the broker host could read sensitive MQTT topic information stored in mosquitto.db. This is not described as remote code execution, but it can expose operational or device data.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for shared systems, IoT brokers, and environments where MQTT topics contain credentials, device state, customer data, or operational telemetry.
Technical view
CVE-2017-9868 is a local information disclosure issue in Eclipse Mosquitto through 1.4.12. The mosquitto.db persistence file is world-readable, allowing local users to obtain sensitive MQTT topic information. The provided sources do not include CVSS, CWE, or detailed fixed-version metadata.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on hosts running Mosquitto through 1.4.12 where untrusted local users can access the broker filesystem.
Exploitation context
The provided evidence supports local information disclosure only. CISA KEV is false, and the bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation, public exploit use, or remote exploitation.
Researcher notes
The record is sparse: no CVSS, CWE, or explicit upstream fixed version appears in the bundle. Base assessment on local read access to mosquitto.db and confirm details against vendor or distro advisories.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the vendor or distribution Mosquitto security update.
- Upgrade Mosquitto beyond affected versions where available.
- Ensure mosquitto.db is not world-readable.
- Limit local shell access on broker hosts.
- Review MQTT topics for sensitive data exposure.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Mosquitto versions on broker hosts.
- Check whether deployments are at or below 1.4.12.
- Verify mosquitto.db file permissions restrict other users.
- Confirm untrusted local users cannot read persistence data.
- Review logs and access controls for unexpected local access.
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
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2017-9868 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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 and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/eclipse/mosquitto/issues/468CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180928 [SECURITY] [DLA 1525-1] mosquitto security updateCVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST
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.