CVE-2016-4117: Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.226 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Now (action score 97/100)
- CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Mar 3, 2022); it is known to be used in ransomware campaigns. Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Mar 24, 2022.
- A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 94.2% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 99.8% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
Patch today or shut off access. Until a fix is released, restrict access to the affected component and follow the vendor's advisory.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · CISA KEV · FIRST EPSS
Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.226 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in May 2016.
- Published
- May 10, 2016
- Updated
- Sep 10, 2026
- EPSS
- 94.2% · 99th percentile
- CWE
- —
Report tools
Action score
97
Patch today or shut off access.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 28 / 30 · 94.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 3, 2022. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Mar 24, 2022.
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
Get told when this record changes
- In CISA KEV: exploitation in the wild confirmed
- Weaponized exploit exists
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| adobe | flash player | cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player |
| redhat | enterprise linux desktop | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop |
| redhat | enterprise linux server | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server |
| redhat | enterprise linux server from rhui | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_from_rhui |
| redhat | enterprise linux workstation | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation |
| opensuse | evergreen | cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:evergreen |
| opensuse | opensuse | cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse |
| suse | linux enterprise desktop | cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_desktop |
| suse | linux enterprise workstation extension | cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_workstation_extension |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- adobe flash playerup to 21.0.0.226 inclusive
- opensuse evergreen11.4
- opensuse opensuse13.1
- opensuse opensuse13.2
- redhat enterprise linux desktop5.0
- redhat enterprise linux desktop6.0
- redhat enterprise linux server5.0
- redhat enterprise linux server6.0
+6 more rows
- redhat enterprise linux server from rhui5.0
- redhat enterprise linux server from rhui6.0
- redhat enterprise linux workstation5.0
- redhat enterprise linux workstation6.0
- suse linux enterprise desktop12
- suse linux enterprise workstation extension12
Same product
adobe: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2015-5119Use-after-free vulnerability in the ByteArray class in the ActionScript 3 (AS3) implementation in Adobe Flash Player 13.x through…KEV99Now
- CVE-2015-3113Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.296 and 14.x through 18.x before 18.0.0.194 on Windows and OS X and before…KEV99Now
- CVE-2014-0497Integer underflow in Adobe Flash Player before 11.7.700.261 and 11.8.x through 12.0.x before 12.0.0.44 on Windows and Mac OS X, and before…KEV99Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2016-1033Apr 8, 2016 · Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.343 and 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.213 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.616 on Linux allows…36Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2015-8823Apr 22, 2016 · Use-after-free vulnerability in the TextField object implementation in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.37Monitor
- Later →CVE-2016-1096May 11, 2016 · Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.213 and earlier, as used in the Adobe Flash libraries in Microsoft Internet Explorer…42Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
- Exploit-DB entry ×1
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2019-02-11 |
| Metasploit module | exploit/osx/browser/adobe_flash_delete_range_tl_opAdobe Flash Player DeleteRangeTimelineOperation Type-Confusionexploit | 2016-04-27 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:1 | 2017-02-23 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Metasploit-14 d
- Published
- First PoC+288 d
- CISA KEV+2122 d
- TodayNov 14, 2026+3839 d
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log (0)
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Show all references (11 more)Show less
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-05/msg00045.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-05/msg00046.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-05/msg00047.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1079.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/90505
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1035826
- helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsa16-02.html
- helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb16-15.html
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201606-08
- github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/issues/196
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-4117
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.