Calculate the length of BE. AC = 17cm. In triangle ABC, AB is perpendicular to BC.

In $\triangle ABC$, we are given $AB = 6 \text{ cm}$ and $AC = 10 \text{ cm}$.
The Pythagorean theorem states $AC^2 = AB^2 + BC^2$.

$$10^2 = 6^2 + BC^2$$ $$100 = 36 + BC^2$$ $$BC^2 = 100 - 36$$ $$BC^2 = 64$$ $$BC = \sqrt{64}$$ $$BC = 8 \text{ cm}$$

The area of a right-angled triangle is given by $\frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height}$.
Using AB as the base and BC as the height:

$$\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times AB \times BC$$ $$\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 6 \text{ cm} \times 8 \text{ cm}$$ $$\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 48 \text{ cm}^2$$ $$\text{Area} = 24 \text{ cm}^2$$

BE is the altitude from vertex B to the hypotenuse AC. The area of the triangle can also be expressed as $\frac{1}{2} \times AC \times BE$.
We know the Area $= 24 \text{ cm}^2$ and $AC = 10 \text{ cm}$.

$$\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times AC \times BE$$ $$24 \text{ cm}^2 = \frac{1}{2} \times 10 \text{ cm} \times BE$$ $$24 = 5 \times BE$$ $$BE = \frac{24}{5}$$ $$BE = \boxed{4.8 \text{ cm}}$$