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CVE-2017-17023

8.1 · HIGH

The Sophos UTM VPN endpoint interacts with client software provided by NPC Engineering (www.ncp-e.com).

Published Apr 9, 2019CWE-345EPSS 0.61%

Overview

CVE-2017-17023 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 9, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

The Sophos UTM VPN endpoint interacts with client software provided by NPC Engineering (www.ncp-e.com). The affected client software, "Sophos IPSec Client" 11.04 is a rebranded version of NCP "Secure Entry Client" 10.11 r32792. A vulnerability in the software update feature of the VPN client allows a man-in-the-middle (MITM) or man-on-the-side (MOTS) attacker to execute arbitrary, malicious software on a target user's computer. This is related to SIC_V11.04-64.exe (Sophos), NCP_EntryCl_Windows_x86_1004_31799.exe (NCP), and ncpmon.exe (both Sophos and NCP). The vulnerability exists because: (1) the VPN client requests update metadata over an insecure HTTP connection; and (2) the client software does not check if the software update is signed before running it.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-17023?

CVE-2017-17023 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 9, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2017-17023?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2017-17023?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2017-17023?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2017-17023 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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