CVE-2017-5078

CVE-2017-5078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome 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

Description

Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Blink's mailto: handling in Google Chrome prior to 59.0.3071.86 for Linux, Windows, and Mac allowed a remote attacker to perform command injection via a crafted HTML page, a similar issue to CVE-2004-0121. For example, characters such as * have an incorrect interaction with xdg-email in xdg-utils, and a space character can be used in front of a command-line argument.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-5078?
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Blink's mailto: handling in Google Chrome prior to 59.0.3071.86 for Linux, Windows, and Mac allowed a remote attacker to perform command injection via a crafted HTML page, a similar issue to CVE-2004-0121. For example, characters such as * have an incorrect interaction with xdg-email in xdg-utils, and a space character can be used in front of a command-line argument.
How severe is CVE-2017-5078?
CVE-2017-5078 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-2017-5078 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (85th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-5078?
CVE-2017-5078 primarily affects Google Chrome. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-5078?
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-2017-5078 published?
CVE-2017-5078 was published on 2017-10-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

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