HIGH CVSS 7.2
Published: 2017-05-12

CVE-2017-8912

cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple Security Advisory (CVE-2017-8912)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
Seeking technical exploit breakdowns or verified PoC code for CVE-2017-8912?
🔬 Search Writeups & Exploit Archive →

CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2017-8912 impacting cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.2 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) 2.1.6 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary PHP code via the code parameter to admin/editusertag.php, related to the CreateTagFunction and CallUserTag functions. NOTE: the vendor reportedly has stated this is "a feature, not a bug.

📊 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 cmsmadesimple / cms_made_simple
Affected Versions 2.1.6
Weakness Enumeration CWE-94

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-2017-8912 impacting cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2017-8912.yaml
id: cve-2017-8912

info:
  name: cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2017-8912 affecting cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple.
    Evaluation: CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) 2.1.6 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary PHP code via the code parameter to admin/editusertag.php...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2017-8912
  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-2017-8912
    cwe-id: CWE-94
  tags: cve,cve-2017-8912,cmsmadesimple,cms_made_simple,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "cms_made_simple"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2017-8912.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2017-8912
# Target: cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple | 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-2017-8912 (cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple)...")
    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 cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple scope (2.1.6).")
        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-2017-8912.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2017-8912
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install cms_made_simple 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade cms_made_simple 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update cms_made_simple

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

# 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.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2017-8912 in cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update cmsmadesimple cms_made_simple 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-2017-8912?

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-2017-8912?

CVE-2017-8912 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-2017-8912
Weakness CWE-94
Vendor cmsmadesimple
Product cms_made_simple
Published 2017-05-12
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H