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CVE-2017-17522

28
FAUCET Score

CVE-2017-17522 describes an argument-injection vulnerability in Python's webbrowser.py module (through version 3.6.3). It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted URL due to insufficient validation of the BROWSER environment variable. This vulnerability is rated as High severity (CVSS 8.8), indicating a network-based attack with low complexity, requiring user interaction, and potentially leading to high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. Despite the high severity, a software maintainer suggests exploitation is impossible due to the default shell=False setting in subprocess.Popen, and there is no evidence of active exploitation, public exploit code, or significant community discussion.

Impacted Technologies

VendorProductVersion(s)CPE
<= 3.6.3CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

CVSS Data

CVSS version used by this source: 3.0

8.8HIGH

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact
HIGH
Integrity Impact
HIGH
Availability Impact
HIGH
Exploitability Score
2.8
Impact Score
5.9
CvssVersion
3.0

Exploit Intelligence

EPSS Score
3.60%
Probability of exploitation in next 30 days
EPSS Percentile
88.2%
Percentile rank of EPSS score among Peer Group
As of 2026-07-27
Model: v2026.06.15
This CVE's current EPSS score of 0.0360 is in the 87th percentile among its peer group of 14,875 CVEs.

Social Chatter

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.0 Twitter, 0.1 Reddit, 0.2 Bluesky, 0.1 Mastodon, and 0.2 GitHub mentions.

Media Mentions

No media coverage found for this CVE.

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.3 InfoSec Media, 0.0 Vendor Blog, and 0.1 Security Researcher mentions.

Remediation

Patch Available

Vendor Patches (8)

microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: 16904-16820Fixed in: 2.7.18-3
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: 16905-16823Fixed in: 2.7.18-8
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: cm1 python2 2.7.18-3 on CBL Mariner 1.0Fixed in: 2.7.18-3
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: cbl2 python2 2.7.18-8 on CBL Mariner 2.0Fixed in: 2.7.18-8
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: CBL Mariner 1.0 x64Fixed in: 2.7.18-3
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: CBL Mariner 1.0 ARMFixed in: 2.7.18-3
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: CBL Mariner 2.0 x64Fixed in: 2.7.18-8
microsoftpatch availablevia msrc
Product: CBL Mariner 2.0 ARMFixed in: 2.7.18-8

Vendor Advisories (6)

microsoft2024-Dec/CVE-2017-17522

CVE-2017-17522

Dec 10, 2024
microsoft2024-Nov/CVE-2017-17522

CVE-2017-17522

Nov 12, 2024
microsoft2024-Oct/CVE-2017-17522

CVE-2017-17522

Oct 8, 2024
microsoft2020-Aug/CVE-2017-17522

CVE-2017-17522

Aug 11, 2020
redhatCVE-2017-17522Moderate

python: Command injection in Lib/webbrowser.py

Dec 14, 2017
microsoft2017-Dec/CVE-2017-17522Important

Lib/webbrowser.py in Python through 3.6.3 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable which might allow remote attackers to conduct argument-injection attacks via a crafted URL. NOTE: a software maintainer indicates that exploitation is impossible because the code relies on subprocess.Popen and the default shell=False setting

Dec 12, 2017

References

bugs.python.org / issue32367
security-tracker.debian.org / tracker/CVE-2017-17522
Issue TrackingThird Party Advisory
securityfocus.com / bid/102207
Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry