How severe is CVE-2017-5973?

CVE-2017-5973 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-5973 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-5973?

CVE-2017-5973 primarily affects Qemu. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-5973?

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

When was CVE-2017-5973 published?

CVE-2017-5973 was published on 2017-03-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-5973

CVE-2017-5973 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Qemu with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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-835.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (37th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Qemu
Published: 2017-03-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The xhci_kick_epctx function in hw/usb/hcd-xhci.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS privileged users to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and QEMU process crash) via vectors related to control transfer descriptor sequence.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-5973?: The xhci_kick_epctx function in hw/usb/hcd-xhci.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS privileged users to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and QEMU process crash) via vectors related to control transfer descriptor sequence.
How severe is CVE-2017-5973?: CVE-2017-5973 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-5973 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-5973?: CVE-2017-5973 primarily affects Qemu. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-5973?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-5973 published?: CVE-2017-5973 was published on 2017-03-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (9)

cpe:2.3:a:qemu:qemu:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openstack:11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:virtualization:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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