Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI program is dynamically linked.
Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI program is dynamically linked. This is a result of initializing the environment of forked CGI scripts using untrusted HTTP request parameters in the cgiHandler function in cgi.c. When combined with the glibc dynamic linker, this behaviour can be abused for remote code execution using special parameter names such as LD_PRELOAD. An attacker can POST their shared object payload in the body of the request, and reference it using /proc/self/fd/0.
- Published
- Dec 12, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 96.3% · 100th percentile
- CWE
- —
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Report tools
Action score
91
Now
Patch today or shut off access.
- CVSS
- 32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 29 / 30 · 96.3%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Dec 10, 2021. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for government agencies: Jun 10, 2022.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| embedthis | goahead | cpe:2.3:a:embedthis:goahead |
| oracle | integrated lights out manager | cpe:2.3:a:oracle:integrated_lights_out_manager |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- embedthis goaheadbefore 3.6.5
- oracle integrated lights out manager3.0
- oracle integrated lights out manager4.0
Same product
embedthis: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2019-5096An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the processing of multi-part/form-data requests within the base GoAhead web server app59Plan
- CVE-2021-42342An issue was discovered in GoAhead 4.x and 5.x before 5.1.5.57Plan
- CVE-2017-5674A vulnerability in a custom-built GoAhead web server used on Foscam, Vstarcam, and multiple white-label IP camera models allows an attacker 45Plan
- CVE-2019-5097A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in the processing of multi-part/form-data requests in the base GoAhead web server application in ve44Plan
- CVE-2017-1000471EmbedThis GoAhead Webserver version 4.0.0 is vulnerable to a NULL pointer dereference in the CGI handler resulting in memory corruption or d42Plan
- CVE-2021-43298The code that performs password matching when using 'Basic' HTTP authentication does not use a constant-time memcmp and has no rate-limiting40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
- Exploit-DB entry ×2
- Nuclei detection template ×1
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×5
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2017-12-18 |
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2018-01-24 |
| Metasploit module | exploit/linux/http/goahead_ldpreloadGoAhead Web Server LD_PRELOAD Arbitrary Module Loadexploit | 2017-12-18 |
| Nuclei detection template | Nuclei template CVE-2017-17562 | — |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:1 | 2017-12-27 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:10 | 2019-10-16 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2019-11-23 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:8 | 2021-11-14 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:1 | 2021-11-17 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+5 d
- Metasploit+5 d
- CISA KEV+1458 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+3214 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2018-3678067.html
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1040702
- github.com/elttam/advisories/tree/master/CVE-2017-17562
- github.com/embedthis/goahead/commit/6f786c123196eb622625a920d54048629a7caa74
- github.com/embedthis/goahead/issues/249
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-17562
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.