How severe is CVE-2016-9597?

CVE-2016-9597 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-9597 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-9597?

CVE-2016-9597 primarily affects Xmlsoft Libxml2. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9597?

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-2016-9597 published?

CVE-2016-9597 was published on 2018-07-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-9597

CVE-2016-9597 is a high-severity vulnerability in Xmlsoft Libxml2 with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-674.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (90th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-674
Affected product: Xmlsoft Libxml2
Published: 2018-07-30
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

It was found that Red Hat JBoss Core Services erratum RHSA-2016:2957 for CVE-2016-3705 did not actually include the fix for the issue found in libxml2, making it vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack due to a Stack Overflow. This is a regression CVE for the same issue as CVE-2016-3705.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9597?: It was found that Red Hat JBoss Core Services erratum RHSA-2016:2957 for CVE-2016-3705 did not actually include the fix for the issue found in libxml2, making it vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack due to a Stack Overflow. This is a regression CVE for the same issue as CVE-2016-3705.
How severe is CVE-2016-9597?: CVE-2016-9597 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-9597 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-9597?: CVE-2016-9597 primarily affects Xmlsoft Libxml2. In total, 9 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-9597?: 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-2016-9597 published?: CVE-2016-9597 was published on 2018-07-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (9)

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:15.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:xmlsoft:libxml2:2.9.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:hp:icewall_federation_agent:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:hp:icewall_file_manager:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:42.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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