How severe is CVE-2017-12281?

CVE-2017-12281 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-12281 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-12281?

CVE-2017-12281 primarily affects Cisco Aironet 1800 Firmware. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12281?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-12281 published?

CVE-2017-12281 was published on 2017-11-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-12281

CVE-2017-12281 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Aironet 1800 Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (49th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Cisco Aironet 1800 Firmware
Published: 2017-11-02
Last modified: 2026-06-17

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12281?: 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.
How severe is CVE-2017-12281?: CVE-2017-12281 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-12281 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12281?: CVE-2017-12281 primarily affects Cisco Aironet 1800 Firmware. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12281?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-12281 published?: CVE-2017-12281 was published on 2017-11-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:aironet_1800_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:aironet_2800_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:aironet_3800_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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