How severe is CVE-2017-14604?

CVE-2017-14604 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2017-14604 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-14604?

CVE-2017-14604 primarily affects Gnome Nautilus. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-14604?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2017-14604 published?

CVE-2017-14604 was published on 2017-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-14604

CVE-2017-14604 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnome Nautilus with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
CVSS v2: 4.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (83rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Gnome Nautilus
Published: 2017-09-20
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

GNOME Nautilus before 3.23.90 allows attackers to spoof a file type by using the .desktop file extension, as demonstrated by an attack in which a .desktop file's Name field ends in .pdf but this file's Exec field launches a malicious "sh -c" command. In other words, Nautilus provides no UI indication that a file actually has the potentially unsafe .desktop extension; instead, the UI only shows the .pdf extension. One (slightly) mitigating factor is that an attack requires the .desktop file to have execute permission. The solution is to ask the user to confirm that the file is supposed to be treated as a .desktop file, and then remember the user's answer in the metadata::trusted field.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-14604?: GNOME Nautilus before 3.23.90 allows attackers to spoof a file type by using the .desktop file extension, as demonstrated by an attack in which a .desktop file's Name field ends in .pdf but this file's Exec field launches a malicious "sh -c" command. In other words, Nautilus provides no UI indication that a file actually has the potentially unsafe .desktop extension; instead, the UI only shows the .pdf extension. One (slightly) mitigating factor is that an attack requires the .desktop file to have execute permission. The solution is to ask the user to confirm that the file is supposed to be treated as a .desktop file, and then remember the user's answer in the metadata::trusted field.
How severe is CVE-2017-14604?: CVE-2017-14604 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2017-14604 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-14604?: CVE-2017-14604 primarily affects Gnome Nautilus. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-14604?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-14604 published?: CVE-2017-14604 was published on 2017-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:gnome:nautilus:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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