How severe is CVE-2017-14482?

CVE-2017-14482 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-14482 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-14482?

CVE-2017-14482 primarily affects Gnu Emacs. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-14482?

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-2017-14482 published?

CVE-2017-14482 was published on 2017-09-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-14482

CVE-2017-14482 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Emacs with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Gnu Emacs
Published: 2017-09-14
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

GNU Emacs before 25.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via email with crafted "Content-Type: text/enriched" data containing an x-display XML element that specifies execution of shell commands, related to an unsafe text/enriched extension in lisp/textmodes/enriched.el, and unsafe Gnus support for enriched and richtext inline MIME objects in lisp/gnus/mm-view.el. In particular, an Emacs user can be instantly compromised by reading a crafted email message (or Usenet news article).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-14482?: GNU Emacs before 25.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via email with crafted "Content-Type: text/enriched" data containing an x-display XML element that specifies execution of shell commands, related to an unsafe text/enriched extension in lisp/textmodes/enriched.el, and unsafe Gnus support for enriched and richtext inline MIME objects in lisp/gnus/mm-view.el. In particular, an Emacs user can be instantly compromised by reading a crafted email message (or Usenet news article).
How severe is CVE-2017-14482?: CVE-2017-14482 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-14482 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-14482?: CVE-2017-14482 primarily affects Gnu Emacs. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-14482?: 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-2017-14482 published?: CVE-2017-14482 was published on 2017-09-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:emacs:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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