How severe is CVE-2017-6543?

CVE-2017-6543 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-6543 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-6543?

CVE-2017-6543 primarily affects Tenable Nessus. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-6543?

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-2017-6543 published?

CVE-2017-6543 was published on 2017-03-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-6543

CVE-2017-6543 is a high-severity vulnerability in Tenable Nessus with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.3)
CVSS v2: 6.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (54th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Tenable Nessus
Published: 2017-03-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Tenable Nessus before 6.10.2 (as used alone or in Tenable Appliance before 4.5.0) was found to contain a flaw that allowed a remote, authenticated attacker to upload a crafted file that could be written to anywhere on the system. This could be used to subsequently gain elevated privileges on the system (e.g., after a reboot). This issue only affects installations on Windows.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-6543?: Tenable Nessus before 6.10.2 (as used alone or in Tenable Appliance before 4.5.0) was found to contain a flaw that allowed a remote, authenticated attacker to upload a crafted file that could be written to anywhere on the system. This could be used to subsequently gain elevated privileges on the system (e.g., after a reboot). This issue only affects installations on Windows.
How severe is CVE-2017-6543?: CVE-2017-6543 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-6543 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-6543?: CVE-2017-6543 primarily affects Tenable Nessus. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-6543?: 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-2017-6543 published?: CVE-2017-6543 was published on 2017-03-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:tenable:nessus:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:tenable:appliance:4.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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