CVE-2017-17516 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Reddit Terminal Viewer (RTV) version 1.19.0 is vulnerable to a security issue that could allow malicious actors to launch argument-injection attacks through a crafted URL.

Understanding CVE-2017-17516

The vulnerability in the "scripts/inspect_webbrowser.py" file of RTV version 1.19.0 could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary commands.

What is CVE-2017-17516?

The flaw in RTV version 1.19.0 allows remote attackers to manipulate the BROWSER environment variable, potentially leading to argument-injection attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2017-17516

If exploited, this vulnerability could enable threat actors to execute arbitrary commands on the system hosting the vulnerable RTV version.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-17516

Reddit Terminal Viewer (RTV) version 1.19.0 is susceptible to the following:

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the lack of proper validation on strings before executing the program designated by the BROWSER environment variable.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Reddit Terminal Viewer (RTV)
Vendor: Not applicable
Version: 1.19.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious URL to inject and execute arbitrary commands.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-17516, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update RTV to a patched version that includes proper input validation.
Avoid clicking on suspicious or untrusted URLs.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for security advisories related to RTV.
Implement URL filtering mechanisms to block potentially harmful URLs.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation.