Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2017-9538

The 'Upload logo from external path' function of SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor version 12.0.15300.90 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (permanent display of a "Cannot exit above the top directory" error message throughout the entire web application) via a ".." in the path field. In other words, the denial of service is caused by an incorrect implementation of a directory-traversal protection mechanism.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.9, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction . The vulnerability impacts and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from solarwinds organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

First disclosed in 2017, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.

Published

2017-10-03T01:29:03.310

Last Modified

2026-05-13T00:24:29.033

Status

Modified

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.0: 4.9 (MEDIUM)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: LOW
Authentication: SINGLE
Confidentiality Impact: NONE
Integrity Impact: NONE
Availability Impact: PARTIAL

Exploitability Score

8.0

Impact Score

2.9

Weaknesses

Type: Primary
CWE-20

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Application	solarwinds	network_performance_monitor	≤ 12.0.15300.90	Yes

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/541263/100/0/threaded ([email protected])
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101066 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/541263/100/0/threaded (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101066 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For solarwinds's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.