HIGH CVSS 7.2
Published: 2017-10-18

CVE-2016-5714

puppet puppet_enterprise Security Advisory (CVE-2016-5714)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2016-5714 impacting puppet puppet_enterprise. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.2 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Puppet Enterprise 2015.3.3 and 2016.x before 2016.4.0, and Puppet Agent 1.3.6 through 1.7.0 allow remote attackers to bypass a host whitelist protection mechanism and execute arbitrary code on Puppet nodes via vectors related to command validation, aka "Puppet Execution Protocol (PXP) Command Whitelist Validation Vulnerability."

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
High (PR:H)
Administrative credentials required
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product puppet / puppet_enterprise
Affected Versions 2015.3.3
Weakness Enumeration CWE-284

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2016-5714 impacting puppet puppet_enterprise.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2016-5714.yaml
id: cve-2016-5714

info:
  name: puppet puppet_enterprise - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2016-5714 affecting puppet puppet_enterprise.
    Evaluation: Puppet Enterprise 2015.3.3 and 2016.x before 2016.4.0, and Puppet Agent 1.3.6 through 1.7.0 allow remote attackers to bypass a host whitelist protecti...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2016-5714
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 7.2
    cve-id: CVE-2016-5714
    cwe-id: CWE-284
  tags: cve,cve-2016-5714,puppet,puppet_enterprise,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "puppet_enterprise"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2016-5714.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2016-5714
# Target: puppet puppet_enterprise | CVSS: 7.2 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2016-5714 (puppet puppet_enterprise)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against puppet puppet_enterprise scope (2015.3.3).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2016-5714.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2016-5714
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install puppet_enterprise 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade puppet_enterprise 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update puppet_enterprise

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i puppet_enterprise 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i puppet_enterprise

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2016-5714 in puppet puppet_enterprise?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update puppet puppet_enterprise packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2016-5714?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2016-5714?

CVE-2016-5714 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.2 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.2
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2016-5714
Weakness CWE-284
Vendor puppet
Product puppet_enterprise
Published 2017-10-18
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H