How severe is CVE-2016-9686?

CVE-2016-9686 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium 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 low.

Is CVE-2016-9686 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (66th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-9686?

CVE-2016-9686 primarily affects Puppet Puppet Enterprise. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9686?

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

When was CVE-2016-9686 published?

CVE-2016-9686 was published on 2017-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-9686

CVE-2016-9686 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Puppet Puppet Enterprise with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. 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

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (66th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Puppet Puppet Enterprise
Published: 2017-02-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Puppet Communications Protocol (PCP) Broker incorrectly validates message header sizes. An attacker could use this to crash the PCP Broker, preventing commands from being sent to agents. This is resolved in Puppet Enterprise 2016.4.3 and 2016.5.2.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-9686?: The Puppet Communications Protocol (PCP) Broker incorrectly validates message header sizes. An attacker could use this to crash the PCP Broker, preventing commands from being sent to agents. This is resolved in Puppet Enterprise 2016.4.3 and 2016.5.2.
How severe is CVE-2016-9686?: CVE-2016-9686 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium 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 low.
Is CVE-2016-9686 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (66th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-9686?: CVE-2016-9686 primarily affects Puppet Puppet Enterprise. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-9686?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-9686 published?: CVE-2016-9686 was published on 2017-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://puppet.com/security/cve/cve-2016-9686

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet_enterprise:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet_enterprise:2016.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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