How severe is CVE-2016-4171?

CVE-2016-4171 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-4171 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2016-4171 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-25, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-4171?

CVE-2016-4171 primarily affects Adobe Flash Player. In total, 17 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-4171?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2016-4171 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2016-4171 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2016-5172. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-25).

When was CVE-2016-4171 published?

CVE-2016-4171 was published on 2016-06-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-4171

CVE-2016-4171 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-03-25).

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 10.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 20% (97th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2022-03-25)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2016-5172
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2022-03-25)
Affected product: Adobe Flash Player
Published: 2016-06-16
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors, as exploited in the wild in June 2016.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-4171?: Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors, as exploited in the wild in June 2016.
How severe is CVE-2016-4171?: CVE-2016-4171 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-4171 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2016-4171 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-25, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-4171?: CVE-2016-4171 primarily affects Adobe Flash Player. In total, 17 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-4171?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2016-4171 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2016-4171 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2016-5172. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-25).
When was CVE-2016-4171 published?: CVE-2016-4171 was published on 2016-06-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (17)

cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:*:chrome:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:*:internet_explorer:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:esr:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:*:edge:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_desktop:12:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_desktop:12:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player

CVE-2015-8459 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.324 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.267 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.559 on…
CVE-2015-8457 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and…
CVE-2015-8455 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.554 on…
CVE-2015-8454 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and…
CVE-2015-8452 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and…
CVE-2015-8451 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.554 on…

All CVEs affecting Adobe Flash Player →