HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2017-15038
MEDIUM

CVE-2017-15038

CWE-362Published: October 10, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.6
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Race condition in the v9fs_xattrwalk function in hw/9pfs/9p.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS users to obtain sensitive information from host heap memory via vectors related to reading extended attributes.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-15038 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 5.6.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

qemu1 product(s)
qemu
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (10)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2017-15038
CVSS Score5.6 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-362
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 10, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-362)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2017-15038 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.