CVE-2017-12243
HighPublic exploitA vulnerability in the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager, Cisco Firepower 4100 Series Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), and Cisco Firepower 9300 Security Appliance could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain root shell privileges on the device, aka Command…
Published Nov 2, 2017 · Updated May 12, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2017-12243 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 7.8 v3) affecting Firepower 4100 Next-Generation Firewall Firmware (Cisco), Firepower 9300 Security Appliance Firmware (Cisco), Unified Computing System Manager Firmware (Cisco) and 1 more product.
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 77% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v3
7.8
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
77%
Higher than 99.5% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2017-12243 brief as a PDF
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Description
A vulnerability in the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager, Cisco Firepower 4100 Series Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), and Cisco Firepower 9300 Security Appliance could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain root shell privileges on the device, aka Command Injection. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of string input in the shell application. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability through the use of malicious commands. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain root shell privileges on the device. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvf20741, CSCvf60078.
Affected Products
4 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Firepower 4100 Next-Generation Firewall FirmwareCisco | See advisory | n/a |
| Firepower 9300 Security Appliance FirmwareCisco | See advisory | n/a |
| Unified Computing System Manager FirmwareCisco | See advisory | n/a |
| Cisco UCS Manager, Cisco Firepower 4100 Series NGFW, and Cisco Firepower 9300 Security Appliance | >= Cisco UCS Manager, Cisco Firepower 4100 Series NGFW, and Cisco Firepower 9300 Security Appliance | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Nov 2, 2017
Last updated
May 12, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
References
- advisoryhttps://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20171101-arce
- advisory101652
- advisory1039719
- exploitExploitDB-44052
FAQ
Common Questions.
A vulnerability in the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager, Cisco Firepower 4100 Series Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), and Cisco Firepower 9300 Security Appliance could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain root shell privileges on the device, aka Command Injection.
Affected: Firepower 4100 Next-Generation Firewall Firmware (Cisco); Firepower 9300 Security Appliance Firmware (Cisco); Unified Computing System Manager Firmware (Cisco), among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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