CVE-2017-12791: Directory Traversal Vulnerability in SaltStack Salt
Summary
CVE-2017-12791: Directory traversal vulnerability in minion id validation in SaltStack Salt before 2016.11.7 and 2017.7.x before 2017.7.1 allows remote minions with incorrect credentials to authenticate to a master via a crafted minion... Affects salt across 2 version ranges.
< 2016.11.7
>= 2017.7, < 2017.7.1
Fixed in 2016.11.7 or 2017.7.1, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
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Background
SaltStack Salt is an open-source configuration management and remote execution software. It is designed to manage and automate the infrastructure of large-scale IT environments. The software allows administrators to control and configure multiple servers from a central location. SaltStack Salt utilizes a client-server architecture, where a master server communicates with remote minions to execute commands and manage configurations. This vulnerability affects versions before 2016.11.7 and 2017.7.x before 2017.7.1.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12791 is a directory traversal vulnerability in the minion ID validation process of SaltStack Salt. It allows remote minions with incorrect credentials to authenticate to a master server using a crafted minion ID. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can gain unauthorized access to the master server and potentially execute arbitrary commands or manipulate configurations. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to the integrity and security of the SaltStack Salt infrastructure.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 3008.3.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "salt==3008.3.0"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the versions below are the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you can't move to the latest
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
< 2016.11.72016.11.7pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.11.7" -
>= 2017.7, < 2017.7.12017.7.1pip install --upgrade "salt==2017.7.1"
Tip — Not sure which release line you're on? Vulert can find the fix for the version you are using. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the recommended fix by upgrading to the patched versions of SaltStack Salt.
Conclusion
The directory traversal vulnerability in SaltStack Salt (CVE-2017-12791) poses a significant security risk to the infrastructure. It is crucial for administrators to upgrade their SaltStack Salt installations to the patched versions to mitigate the vulnerability. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
SaltStack Salt is an open-source configuration management and remote execution software used for managing and automating IT infrastructure.
This vulnerability allows remote minions with incorrect credentials to authenticate to a master server, potentially leading to unauthorized access and manipulation of the SaltStack Salt infrastructure.
To fix this vulnerability, upgrade SaltStack Salt to version 2016.11.7 or later, or version 2017.7.1 or later.
No, there are no known workarounds for this vulnerability. Upgrading to the patched versions is the recommended solution.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the SaltStack Salt advisory database: https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/blob/main/vulns/salt/PYSEC-2017-35.yaml
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