How severe is CVE-2016-9602?

CVE-2016-9602 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-9602 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-9602?

CVE-2016-9602 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-2016-9602?

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-2016-9602 published?

CVE-2016-9602 was published on 2018-04-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-9602

CVE-2016-9602 is a high-severity vulnerability in Qemu with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.6)
CVSS v2: 9.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Qemu
Published: 2018-04-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Qemu before version 2.9 is vulnerable to an improper link following when built with the VirtFS. A privileged user inside guest could use this flaw to access host file system beyond the shared folder and potentially escalating their privileges on a host.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9602?: Qemu before version 2.9 is vulnerable to an improper link following when built with the VirtFS. A privileged user inside guest could use this flaw to access host file system beyond the shared folder and potentially escalating their privileges on a host.
How severe is CVE-2016-9602?: CVE-2016-9602 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-9602 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-9602?: CVE-2016-9602 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-2016-9602?: 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-2016-9602 published?: CVE-2016-9602 was published on 2018-04-26 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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