How severe is CVE-2016-8974?

CVE-2016-8974 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-8974 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-8974?

CVE-2016-8974 primarily affects Ibm Rational Rhapsody Design Manager. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-8974?

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-2016-8974 published?

CVE-2016-8974 was published on 2017-02-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-8974

CVE-2016-8974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm Rational Rhapsody Design Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. 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-611.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.1)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (65th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-611
Affected product: Ibm Rational Rhapsody Design Manager
Published: 2017-02-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

IBM Rhapsody DM 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) error when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose highly sensitive information or consume all available memory resources. IBM Reference #: 1997798.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-8974?: IBM Rhapsody DM 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) error when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose highly sensitive information or consume all available memory resources. IBM Reference #: 1997798.
How severe is CVE-2016-8974?: CVE-2016-8974 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-8974 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-8974?: CVE-2016-8974 primarily affects Ibm Rational Rhapsody Design Manager. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-8974?: 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-2016-8974 published?: CVE-2016-8974 was published on 2017-02-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21997798

Affected products (14)

cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:4.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:5.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:5.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:6.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:rational_rhapsody_design_manager:6.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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