How severe is CVE-2016-9685?

CVE-2016-9685 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-9685 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (31st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-9685?

CVE-2016-9685 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9685?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2016-9685 published?

CVE-2016-9685 was published on 2016-12-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-9685

CVE-2016-9685 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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-400.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (31st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2016-12-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Multiple memory leaks in error paths in fs/xfs/xfs_attr_list.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.1 allow local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via crafted XFS filesystem operations.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9685?: Multiple memory leaks in error paths in fs/xfs/xfs_attr_list.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.1 allow local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via crafted XFS filesystem operations.
How severe is CVE-2016-9685?: CVE-2016-9685 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-9685 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (31st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-9685?: CVE-2016-9685 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-9685?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-9685 published?: CVE-2016-9685 was published on 2016-12-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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