Is CVE-2017-3897 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2017-3897, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2017-3897 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2017-3897 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2017-3897?

CVE-2017-3897 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICALPOC

CVE-2017-3897

CWE-94Published: September 1, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A Code Injection vulnerability in the non-certificate-based authentication mechanism in McAfee Live Safe versions prior to 16.0.3 and McAfee Security Scan Plus (MSS+) versions prior to 3.11.599.3 allows network attackers to perform a malicious file execution via a HTTP backend-response.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-3897 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), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2017-3897. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.