How severe is CVE-2017-16731?

CVE-2017-16731 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-16731 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-2017-16731?

CVE-2017-16731 affects Hitachienergy Ellipse. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-16731?

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-2017-16731 published?

CVE-2017-16731 was published on 2017-12-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-16731

CVE-2017-16731 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hitachienergy Ellipse 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. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-522.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 2.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (49th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-522
Affected product: Hitachienergy Ellipse
Published: 2017-12-20
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An Unprotected Transport of Credentials issue was discovered in ABB Ellipse 8.3 through Ellipse 8.9 released prior to December 2017 (including Ellipse Select). A vulnerability exists in the authentication of Ellipse to LDAP/AD using the LDAP protocol. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sniffing local network traffic, allowing the discovery of authentication credentials.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-16731?: An Unprotected Transport of Credentials issue was discovered in ABB Ellipse 8.3 through Ellipse 8.9 released prior to December 2017 (including Ellipse Select). A vulnerability exists in the authentication of Ellipse to LDAP/AD using the LDAP protocol. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sniffing local network traffic, allowing the discovery of authentication credentials.
How severe is CVE-2017-16731?: CVE-2017-16731 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-16731 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-2017-16731?: CVE-2017-16731 affects Hitachienergy Ellipse. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-16731?: 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-2017-16731 published?: CVE-2017-16731 was published on 2017-12-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-17-353-01

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:hitachienergy:ellipse:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Other CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-7312 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): CWE‑522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials in web services in Progress Sitefinity version from 14.0.7700 to…
CVE-2026-29128 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): IDC SFX2100 Satellite Receiver firmware ships with multiple daemon configuration files for routing components (e.g.,…
CVE-2025-54863 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Radiometrics VizAir is vulnerable to exposure of the system's REST API key through a publicly accessible configuration…
CVE-2024-12799 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerability in OpenText Identity Manager Advanced Edition on Windows, Linux, 64…
CVE-2024-51545 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Username Enumeration vulnerabilities allow access to application level username add, delete, modify and list…
CVE-2023-1778 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): This vulnerability exists in GajShield Data Security Firewall firmware versions prior to v4.28 (except v4.21) due to…

Browse all CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) vulnerabilities →