How severe is CVE-2016-5538?

CVE-2016-5538 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-5538 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-5538?

CVE-2016-5538 primarily affects Oracle Vm Virtualbox. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-5538?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2016-5538 published?

CVE-2016-5538 was published on 2016-10-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-5538

CVE-2016-5538 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Oracle Vm Virtualbox with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.7. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.7)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (34th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Oracle Vm Virtualbox
Published: 2016-10-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component before 5.0.28 and 5.1.x before 5.1.8 in Oracle Virtualization allows local users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to Core, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-5501.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-5538?: Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component before 5.0.28 and 5.1.x before 5.1.8 in Oracle Virtualization allows local users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to Core, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-5501.
How severe is CVE-2016-5538?: CVE-2016-5538 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-5538 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-5538?: CVE-2016-5538 primarily affects Oracle Vm Virtualbox. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-5538?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-5538 published?: CVE-2016-5538 was published on 2016-10-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:oracle:vm_virtualbox:5.0.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:vm_virtualbox:5.1.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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