How severe is CVE-2016-9553?

CVE-2016-9553 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-9553 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 19% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-9553?

CVE-2016-9553 affects Sophos Web Appliance. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9553?

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-2016-9553 published?

CVE-2016-9553 was published on 2017-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-9553

CVE-2016-9553 is a high-severity vulnerability in Sophos Web Appliance with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 19% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-77.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.2)
CVSS v2: 9.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 19% (97th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-77
Affected product: Sophos Web Appliance
Published: 2017-01-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Sophos Web Appliance (version 4.2.1.3) is vulnerable to two Remote Command Injection vulnerabilities affecting its web administrative interface. These vulnerabilities occur in the MgrReport.php (/controllers/MgrReport.php) component responsible for blocking and unblocking IP addresses from accessing the device. The device doesn't properly escape the information passed in the variables 'unblockip' and 'blockip' before calling the shell_exec() function which allows for system commands to be injected into the device. The code erroneously suggests that the information handled is protected by utilizing the variable name 'escapedips' - however this was not the case. The Sophos ID is NSWA-1258.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9553?: The Sophos Web Appliance (version 4.2.1.3) is vulnerable to two Remote Command Injection vulnerabilities affecting its web administrative interface. These vulnerabilities occur in the MgrReport.php (/controllers/MgrReport.php) component responsible for blocking and unblocking IP addresses from accessing the device. The device doesn't properly escape the information passed in the variables 'unblockip' and 'blockip' before calling the shell_exec() function which allows for system commands to be injected into the device. The code erroneously suggests that the information handled is protected by utilizing the variable name 'escapedips' - however this was not the case. The Sophos ID is NSWA-1258.
How severe is CVE-2016-9553?: CVE-2016-9553 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-9553 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 19% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-9553?: CVE-2016-9553 affects Sophos Web Appliance. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-9553?: 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-2016-9553 published?: CVE-2016-9553 was published on 2017-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:sophos:web_appliance:4.2.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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