HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2017-16845
CRITICAL

CVE-2017-16845

CWE-20Published: November 17, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

10.0
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

hw/input/ps2.c in Qemu does not validate 'rptr' and 'count' values during guest migration, leading to out-of-bounds access.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-16845 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 10.0.

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 VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
qemu1 product(s)
qemu
Source: NVD CPE · 7 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (12)

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101923Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2017-11/msg02982.htmlMailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3575-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3649-1/Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101923Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2017-11/msg02982.htmlMailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3575-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3649-1/Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2017-16845
CVSS Score10.0 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-20
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 17, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-20)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2017-16845 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.