CVE-2016-9093

CVE-2016-9093 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection 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-20.

Key facts

Description

A version of the SymEvent Driver that shipped with Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP6 and earlier fails to properly sanitize logged-in user input. SEP 14.0 and later are not impacted by this issue. A non-admin user would need to be able to save an executable file to disk and then be able to successfully run that file. If properly constructed, the file could access the driver interface and potentially manipulate certain system calls. On all 32-bit systems and in most cases on 64-bit systems, this will result in a denial of service that will crash the system. In very narrow circumstances, and on 64-bit systems only, this could allow the user to run arbitrary code on the local machine with kernel-level privileges. This could result in a non-privileged user gaining privileged access on the local machine.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9093?
A version of the SymEvent Driver that shipped with Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP6 and earlier fails to properly sanitize logged-in user input. SEP 14.0 and later are not impacted by this issue. A non-admin user would need to be able to save an executable file to disk and then be able to successfully run that file. If properly constructed, the file could access the driver interface and potentially manipulate certain system calls. On all 32-bit systems and in most cases on 64-bit systems, this will result in a denial of service that will crash the system. In very narrow circumstances, and on 64-bit systems only, this could allow the user to run arbitrary code on the local machine with kernel-level privileges. This could result in a non-privileged user gaining privileged access on the local machine.
How severe is CVE-2016-9093?
CVE-2016-9093 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-2016-9093 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-2016-9093?
CVE-2016-9093 primarily affects Symantec Endpoint Protection. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-9093?
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-2016-9093 published?
CVE-2016-9093 was published on 2018-04-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (8)

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