---
id: "CVE-2017-17562"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2017-17562"]
title: "Embedthis GoAhead: Embedthis GoAhead Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 8.1
epss: 0.97127
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Embedthis GoAhead", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["embedded", "exploited", "goahead", "infrastructure", "iot", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["cgi-disabled", "version-3.6.5-or-later"]
published_at: "2017-12-12T19:29:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2017-17562", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2017-17562", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17562", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Embedthis GoAhead: Embedthis GoAhead Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Embedthis GoAhead, an embedded web server, before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution when CGI is enabled and a CGI program is dynamically linked. An unauthenticated remote attacker can run code on the device running the server.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Embedthis GoAhead affected ? fixed ?

## How to check

Check the GoAhead version in the device or build (must be 3.6.5 or later); confirm whether CGI is enabled in the server configuration.

## Fix

Upgrade Embedthis GoAhead to 3.6.5 or later, or disable CGI.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2017-17562
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2017-17562
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17562

## From the sources

Embedthis GoAhead before 3.6.5 allows remote code execution if CGI is enabled and a CGI program is dynamically linked. This is a result of initializing the environment of forked CGI scripts using untrusted HTTP request parameters in the cgiHandler function in cgi.c. When combined with the glibc dynamic linker, this behaviour can be abused for remote code execution using special parameter names such as LD_PRELOAD. An attacker can POST their shared object payload in the body of the request, and reference it using /proc/self/fd/0.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_