CVE-2017-20002
7.8 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2017-20002 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting debian shadow. It was published on March 17, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
The Debian shadow package before 1:4.5-1 for Shadow incorrectly lists pts/0 and pts/1 as physical terminals in /etc/securetty. This allows local users to login as password-less users even if they are connected by non-physical means such as SSH (hence bypassing PAM's nullok_secure configuration). This notably affects environments such as virtual machines automatically generated with a default blank root password, allowing all local users to escalate privileges.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from debian. Update shadow to the latest patched version. 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.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2017-20002?
CVE-2017-20002 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting debian shadow. It was published on March 17, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2017-20002?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2017-20002?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from debian. Update shadow to the latest patched version. 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-2017-20002?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2017-20002 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
AI-driven PR review catches vulnerable dependencies before they ship.
Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
Related HIGH CVEs from 2017
View all →An issue was discovered in St. Jude Medical Merlin@home, versions prior to Version 8.2.2 (RF models:
Unrestricted file upload vulnerability in the fileUnzip->unzip method in Dotclear before 2.10.3 allo
The Parental Control panel in Genexis devices with DRGOS before 1.14.1 allows remote authenticated u
An issue was discovered in EMC ScaleIO versions before 2.0.1.1. A low-privileged local attacker may
eClinicalWorks Population Health (CCMR) suffers from an SQL injection vulnerability in portalUserSer
eClinicalWorks Population Health (CCMR) suffers from a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabili
Microsoft Edge allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy via vectors involving the ab
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerabili
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerabili
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable heap overflow vulnerability w
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerabili
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerabili