CVE-2017-17528
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 · uneditedbackends/platform/sdl/posix/posix.cpp in ScummVM 1.9.0 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable, which might allow remote attackers to conduct argument-injection attacks via a crafted URL.
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 confidenceThe SDL/Posix backend in ScummVM 1.9.0 uses the BROWSER environment variable to launch external programs for URL handling but fails to validate or sanitize strings before executing the browser command. This allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary arguments into the browser command via crafted URLs.
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= 1.9.0CVSS 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 ScummVM versionRun 'scummvm --version' or check the package manager for the installed ScummVM package versionAffected if The installed version is exactly 1.9.0
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Confirm SDL/Posix backend in useScummVM uses SDL/Posix backend by default on Linux and Unix-like systems - verify by checking the ScummVM build configuration or running platformAffected if Running ScummVM 1.9.0 on a Linux or Unix-like system using the SDL backend
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Check BROWSER environment variableRun 'echo $BROWSER' in the environment where ScummVM executes, or inspect ScummVM's process environmentAffected if The BROWSER environment variable is set and ScummVM 1.9.0 uses it to handle URLs
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Verify URL handling feature is enabledAttempt to open a URL within ScummVM (e.g., via a game link or built-in URL launcher) or check ScummVM configuration for URL handling optionsAffected if URL handling functionality is accessible or used in ScummVM 1.9.0 with the SDL/Posix backend
A user is affected if ScummVM version 1.9.0 is installed on a Linux/Posix system, the SDL/Posix backend is in use, the BROWSER environment variable is set, and the URL handling feature is enabled or used.
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 dataImplement strict validation of the BROWSER environment variable and URL parameters before execution, preferably using a whitelist approach for allowed characters or arguments, or use safer command execution methods that prevent argument injection.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-17528 — 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-2017-17528 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
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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