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What is CVE-2017-3873?A high-severity flaw in Aironet Access Point Firmware, explained.

High severity10 affected products
The short answer

CVE-2017-3873 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) in Aironet Access Point Firmware from Cisco, published on 16 May 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 16 May 2017. Record last updated 20 April 2025. We keep this page's data up to date.

What it does

What is CVE-2017-3873? 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 Plug-and-Play (PnP) subsystem of the Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points running a Lightweight Access Point (AP) or Mobility Express image could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of PnP server responses. The PnP feature is only active while the device does not contain a configuration, such as a first time boot or after a factory reset has been issued. An attacker with the ability to respond to PnP configuration requests from the affected device can exploit the vulnerability by returning malicious PnP responses. If a Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller - Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) is available on the network, the attacker would need to exploit the issue in the short window before a valid PnP response was received. If successful, the attacker could gain the ability to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system of the device. Cisco has confirmed that the only vulnerable software version is 8.3.102.0. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb42386.

What kind of flaw is it?

  • CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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-2017-3873 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-2017-3873 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-2017-3873 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-2017-3873? 10 products.

The published record lists 10 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-2017-3873? 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-2017-3873 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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FAQ

Common questions, answered plainly.

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CVE-2017-3873 is a high-severity flaw in Aironet Access Point Firmware from Cisco, published on 16 May 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-2017-3873 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 Access Point Firmware from Cisco: 8.3_102.0. The record lists 10 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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