How severe is CVE-2017-8438?

CVE-2017-8438 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-8438 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (59th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-8438?

CVE-2017-8438 primarily affects Elastic X-pack. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-8438?

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-2017-8438 published?

CVE-2017-8438 was published on 2017-06-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-8438

CVE-2017-8438 is a high-severity vulnerability in Elastic X-pack 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. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-269.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (59th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Elastic X-pack
Published: 2017-06-05
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Elastic X-Pack Security versions 5.0.0 to 5.4.0 contain a privilege escalation bug in the run_as functionality. This bug prevents transitioning into the specified user specified in a run_as request. If a role has been created using a template that contains the _user properties, the behavior of run_as will be incorrect. Additionally if the run_as user specified does not exist, the transition will not happen.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-8438?: Elastic X-Pack Security versions 5.0.0 to 5.4.0 contain a privilege escalation bug in the run_as functionality. This bug prevents transitioning into the specified user specified in a run_as request. If a role has been created using a template that contains the _user properties, the behavior of run_as will be incorrect. Additionally if the run_as user specified does not exist, the transition will not happen.
How severe is CVE-2017-8438?: CVE-2017-8438 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-8438 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (59th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-8438?: CVE-2017-8438 primarily affects Elastic X-pack. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-8438?: 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-2017-8438 published?: CVE-2017-8438 was published on 2017-06-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (13)

cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:x-pack:5.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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