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What is CVE-2017-12281?A high-severity flaw in Aironet 1800 Firmware, explained.

High severity12 affected products
The short answer

CVE-2017-12281 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) in Aironet 1800 Firmware from Cisco, published on 2 November 2017. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.7%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Check if it affects you →How to fix it

Published 2 November 2017. Record last updated 20 April 2025. We keep this page's data up to date.

What it does

What is CVE-2017-12281? In plain terms.

An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

The official description

A vulnerability in the implementation of Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) functionality for standalone configurations of Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to bypass authentication and connect to an affected device. The vulnerability exists because the affected device uses an incorrect default configuration setting of fail open when running in standalone mode. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by attempting to connect to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass authentication and connect to the affected device. This vulnerability affects Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points that are running a vulnerable software release and use WLAN configuration settings that include FlexConnect local switching and central authentication with MAC filtering. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd46314.

What kind of flaw is it?

  • CWE-287Improper Authentication
CVSS 3.0 scoreHigh · 7.5

How an attack on it works

Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.

  • Where an attacker can beOn the same local network
  • How hard it is to pull offHard: conditions must line up
  • Login needed firstNo login needed
  • Does someone have to clickNo, nobody has to do anything
  • What an attacker getsCan read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation

Is CVE-2017-12281 being exploited? Not that we know of.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Known to be exploitedNoNot on the list of exploited flaws today
Chance of use in the next 30 days0.7%Its EPSS score, from the latest forecast

Timeline

  1. Published
  2. Record last updated
How Precursor Intelligence ranks it
46out of 100Medium

CVE-2017-12281 scores 46. Action: Plan remediation.

We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:

  • Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
  • How severe it isStrong factor
  • How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
  • Threat activity around itSmaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.

When CVE-2017-12281 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

See your own ranked list →
Affected products

Who is affected by CVE-2017-12281? 12 products.

The published record lists 12 products from 1 vendor. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.

Remediation

How do I fix CVE-2017-12281? Four steps.

  1. Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
  2. Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
  3. If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
  4. Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

References

3 links
Precursor Intelligence

Does CVE-2017-12281 affect you? We'll keep checking.

Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.

  1. Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
  2. We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
  3. Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
  4. Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
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CVE-2017-12281 is a high-severity flaw in Aironet 1800 Firmware from Cisco, published on 2 November 2017. An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

It scores 7.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2017-12281 is 46 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

For Aironet 1800 Firmware from Cisco: version not specified. The record lists 12 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

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