How severe is CVE-2016-6664?

CVE-2016-6664 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-6664 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (86th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-6664?

CVE-2016-6664 primarily affects Oracle Mysql. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-6664?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-6664 published?

CVE-2016-6664 was published on 2016-12-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-6664

CVE-2016-6664 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Mysql with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-59.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (86th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Oracle Mysql
Published: 2016-12-13
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

mysqld_safe in Oracle MySQL through 5.5.51, 5.6.x through 5.6.32, and 5.7.x through 5.7.14; MariaDB; Percona Server before 5.5.51-38.2, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-78-1, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-8; and Percona XtraDB Cluster before 5.5.41-37.0, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-25.17, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-26.17, when using file-based logging, allows local users with access to the mysql account to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on error logs and possibly other files.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-6664?: mysqld_safe in Oracle MySQL through 5.5.51, 5.6.x through 5.6.32, and 5.7.x through 5.7.14; MariaDB; Percona Server before 5.5.51-38.2, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-78-1, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-8; and Percona XtraDB Cluster before 5.5.41-37.0, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-25.17, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-26.17, when using file-based logging, allows local users with access to the mysql account to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on error logs and possibly other files.
How severe is CVE-2016-6664?: CVE-2016-6664 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-6664 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (86th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-6664?: CVE-2016-6664 primarily affects Oracle Mysql. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-6664?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-6664 published?: CVE-2016-6664 was published on 2016-12-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:oracle:mysql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mariadb:mariadb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:percona:percona_server:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:percona:xtradb_cluster:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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