CVE-2017-20217 in Serviio Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2026
Serviio PRO 1.8 contains an information disclosure vulnerability due to improper access control enforcement in the Configuration REST API that allows unauthenticated attackers to access sensitive information. Remote attackers can send specially crafted requests to the REST API endpoints to retrieve potentially sensitive configuration data without authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2026
The CVE-2017-20217 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Serviio PRO version 1.8 that stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within its Configuration REST API. This vulnerability exposes sensitive system configuration data to unauthenticated attackers who can exploit the improperly secured endpoints to gain unauthorized access to potentially confidential information. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the media server by allowing remote attackers to bypass authentication requirements that should normally be enforced before granting access to system configuration details.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the REST API's failure to properly validate and authenticate incoming requests to configuration endpoints. Attackers can construct and send specially crafted HTTP requests to the affected API endpoints without requiring any authentication credentials, thereby accessing sensitive configuration parameters that should be restricted to authorized administrators only. This misconfiguration creates a direct pathway for information leakage through the application's web interface, where configuration data including system settings, user credentials, and network parameters may be exposed to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability specifically affects the Configuration REST API component, which handles administrative configuration requests and typically requires proper authentication tokens or session management to prevent unauthorized access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-20217 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked configuration data can provide attackers with valuable insights into the system's architecture and operational parameters. This information can facilitate further exploitation attempts, including privilege escalation, credential harvesting, and targeted attacks against other system components. The vulnerability enables attackers to gather sensitive data such as database connection strings, service account credentials, network configurations, and other administrative details that could be leveraged for lateral movement within the network or for launching more sophisticated attacks. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all system components.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the attack lifecycle and its potential integration with other attack techniques from the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The information disclosure could serve as a foundational step for subsequent attacks, particularly those involving credential access or privilege escalation. Organizations using Serviio PRO 1.8 should implement immediate mitigations including access control enforcement through proper authentication mechanisms, network segmentation to limit exposure of the affected API endpoints, and comprehensive monitoring of API access patterns for anomalous activity. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing proper authentication and authorization controls, particularly for administrative APIs that handle sensitive system configuration data. Remediation efforts should focus on enforcing mandatory authentication for all API endpoints and implementing robust access control policies that prevent unauthorized access to configuration information, aligning with industry best practices for securing web applications and RESTful APIs.