How severe is CVE-2016-6836?

CVE-2016-6836 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, 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 none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2016-6836 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (32nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-6836?

CVE-2016-6836 primarily affects Qemu. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-6836?

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

When was CVE-2016-6836 published?

CVE-2016-6836 was published on 2016-12-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-6836

CVE-2016-6836 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Qemu with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0. 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-665.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.0)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (32nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-665
Affected product: Qemu
Published: 2016-12-10
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The vmxnet3_complete_packet function in hw/net/vmxnet3.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS administrators to obtain sensitive host memory information by leveraging failure to initialize the txcq_descr object.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-6836?: The vmxnet3_complete_packet function in hw/net/vmxnet3.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS administrators to obtain sensitive host memory information by leveraging failure to initialize the txcq_descr object.
How severe is CVE-2016-6836?: CVE-2016-6836 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, 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 none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2016-6836 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (32nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-6836?: CVE-2016-6836 primarily affects Qemu. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-6836?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-6836 published?: CVE-2016-6836 was published on 2016-12-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:qemu:qemu:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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