How severe is CVE-2017-5243?

CVE-2017-5243 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-5243 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-5243?

CVE-2017-5243 affects Rapid7 Nexpose. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-5243?

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-2017-5243 published?

CVE-2017-5243 was published on 2017-06-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-5243

CVE-2017-5243 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rapid7 Nexpose with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.5. 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-327.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.5)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (40th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-327
Affected product: Rapid7 Nexpose
Published: 2017-06-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The default SSH configuration in Rapid7 Nexpose hardware appliances shipped before June 2017 does not specify desired algorithms for key exchange and other important functions. As a result, it falls back to allowing ALL algorithms supported by the relevant version of OpenSSH and makes the installations vulnerable to a range of MITM, downgrade, and decryption attacks.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-5243?: The default SSH configuration in Rapid7 Nexpose hardware appliances shipped before June 2017 does not specify desired algorithms for key exchange and other important functions. As a result, it falls back to allowing ALL algorithms supported by the relevant version of OpenSSH and makes the installations vulnerable to a range of MITM, downgrade, and decryption attacks.
How severe is CVE-2017-5243?: CVE-2017-5243 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-5243 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-5243?: CVE-2017-5243 affects Rapid7 Nexpose. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-5243?: 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-2017-5243 published?: CVE-2017-5243 was published on 2017-06-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://community.rapid7.com/community/nexpose/blog/2017/05/31/r7-2017-13-nexpose-hardware-appliance-ssh-enabled-obsolete-algorithms-cve-2017-5243

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:nexpose:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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