SocialminerApplication · Cisco
CVE-2017-12216
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in the web-based user interface of Cisco SocialMiner could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to have read and write access to information stored in the affected system. The vulnerability is due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) entries when parsing an XML file. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by convincing the administrator of an affected system to import a crafted XML file with malicious entries, which could allow the attacker to read and write files and execute remote code within the application. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvf47946.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is an XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerability in Cisco SocialMiner's web-based management interface. The application improperly handles XXE entries when parsing XML files, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to read/write files on the system and execute arbitrary code by tricking an administrator into importing a specially crafted XML file.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
SocialminerApplication
all versionsCVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Cisco SocialMiner installationCheck if Cisco SocialMiner is installed on the system by looking for the SocialMiner application directory or running processes. On Cisco appliances, use 'show version' or check the application filesystem.Affected if Cisco SocialMiner is installed and running on the system
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Locate the web management interfaceIdentify the URL or port used for the Cisco SocialMiner web interface. Typically this runs on HTTPS port 443 or a custom port. Check configuration files or running services for the management interface endpoint.Affected if The web management interface is accessible on the network
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Verify XML import functionality is presentAccess the web management interface and look for features that allow importing or uploading XML files, such as configuration backup/restore, feed imports, or custom XML-based settings.Affected if XML import or upload functionality exists in the management interface
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Check network exposure of management interfaceReview firewall rules and access control lists to determine if the SocialMiner web management interface is accessible from untrusted networks or the internet.Affected if The management interface is exposed to untrusted networks or the internet without proper access controls
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Review XML processing configurationExamine the application configuration or XML parser settings to determine if external entity processing is enabled or if XXE protections are configured.Affected if External entity processing is enabled in the XML parser or no XXE protection is configured
A user is affected if Cisco SocialMiner is running with its web management interface accessible, as the XXE vulnerability can be exploited when an administrator imports a specially crafted XML file through the management interface.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply the Cisco patch for CSCvf47946. Until patched, restrict administrative access to the web UI and verify all XML imports are from trusted sources. Consider disabling external entity processing in XML parsers as a defense-in-depth measure.
Fix this in Socialminer
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-12216 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-12216 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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