CVE-2017-8295

CVE-2017-8295 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 27% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-640.

Key facts

Description

WordPress through 4.7.4 relies on the Host HTTP header for a password-reset e-mail message, which makes it easier for remote attackers to reset arbitrary passwords by making a crafted wp-login.php?action=lostpassword request and then arranging for this message to bounce or be resent, leading to transmission of the reset key to a mailbox on an attacker-controlled SMTP server. This is related to problematic use of the SERVER_NAME variable in wp-includes/pluggable.php in conjunction with the PHP mail function. Exploitation is not achievable in all cases because it requires at least one of the following: (1) the attacker can prevent the victim from receiving any e-mail messages for an extended period of time (such as 5 days), (2) the victim's e-mail system sends an autoresponse containing the original message, or (3) the victim manually composes a reply containing the original message.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-8295?
WordPress through 4.7.4 relies on the Host HTTP header for a password-reset e-mail message, which makes it easier for remote attackers to reset arbitrary passwords by making a crafted wp-login.php?action=lostpassword request and then arranging for this message to bounce or be resent, leading to transmission of the reset key to a mailbox on an attacker-controlled SMTP server. This is related to problematic use of the SERVER_NAME variable in wp-includes/pluggable.php in conjunction with the PHP mail function. Exploitation is not achievable in all cases because it requires at least one of the following: (1) the attacker can prevent the victim from receiving any e-mail messages for an extended period of time (such as 5 days), (2) the victim's e-mail system sends an autoresponse containing the original message, or (3) the victim manually composes a reply containing the original message.
How severe is CVE-2017-8295?
CVE-2017-8295 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2017-8295 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 27% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-8295?
CVE-2017-8295 affects Wordpress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-8295?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-8295 published?
CVE-2017-8295 was published on 2017-05-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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