CVE-2016-6473 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2016-6473
Vulnerability Scoring

6.5
/10
High Risk

If left unpatched, CVE-2016-6473 could lead to major system disruptions or data loss.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Adjacent_network
    Attack Vector Under Analysis
  • Privileges Required: None
    No privileges are required for exploitation.
  • Scope: Unchanged
    Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: None
    No user interaction is necessary for exploitation.

CVE-2016-6473 Details

Status: Modified

Last updated: 🕝 21 Nov 2024, 02:56 UTC
Originally published on: 🕧 14 Dec 2016, 00:59 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 2899 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVE-2016-6473 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2016-6473: A vulnerability in Cisco IOS on Catalyst Switches and Nexus 9300 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a Layer 2 network storm. More Information: CSCuu69332, CSCux07028. Known Affected Releases: 15.2(3)E. Known Fixed Releases: 12.2(50)SE4 12.2(50)SE5 12.2(50)SQ5 12.2(50)SQ6 12.2(50)SQ7 12.2(52)EY4 12.2(52)SE1 12.2(53)EX 12.2(53)SE 12.2(53)SE1 12.2(53)SE2 12.2(53)SG10 12.2(53)SG11 12.2(53)SG2 12.2(53)SG9 12.2(54)SG1 12.2(55)EX3 12.2(55)SE 12.2(55)SE1 12.2(55)SE10 12.2(55)SE2 12.2(55)SE3 12.2(55)SE4 12.2(55)SE5 12.2(55)SE6 12.2(55)SE7 12.2(55)SE8 12.2(55)SE9 12.2(58)EZ 12.2(58)SE1 12.2(58)SE2 12.2(60)EZ 12.2(60)EZ1 12.2(60)EZ2 12.2(60)EZ3 12.2(60)EZ4 12.2(60)EZ5 12.2(60)EZ6 12.2(60)EZ7 12.2(60)EZ8 15.0(1)EY2 15.0(1)SE 15.0(1)SE2 15.0(1)SE3 15.0(2)EA 15.0(2)EB 15.0(2)EC 15.0(2)ED 15.0(2)EH 15.0(2)EJ 15.0(2)EJ1 15.0(2)EK1 15.0(2)EX 15.0(2)EX1 15.0(2)EX3 15.0(2)EX4 15.0(2)EX5 15.0(2)EY 15.0(2)EY1 15.0(2)EY2 15.0(2)EZ 15.0(2)SE 15.0(2)SE1 15.0(2)SE2 15.0(2)SE3 15.0(2)SE4 15.0(2)SE5 15.0(2)SE6 15.0(2)SE7 15.0(2)SE9 15.0(2)SG10 15.0(2)SG3 15.0(2)SG6 15.0(2)SG7 15.0(2)SG8 15.0(2)SG9 15.0(2a)EX5 15.1(2)SG 15.1(2)SG1 15.1(2)SG2 15.1(2)SG3 15.1(2)SG4 15.1(2)SG5 15.1(2)SG6 15.2(1)E 15.2(1)E1 15.2(1)E2 15.2(1)E3 15.2(1)EY 15.2(2)E 15.2(2)E3 15.2(2b)E.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2016-6473

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2016-6473 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2016-6473

With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2016-6473 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2016-6473, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2016-6473, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: None
    CVE-2016-6473 has no significant impact on data confidentiality.
  • Integrity: None
    CVE-2016-6473 poses no threat to data integrity.
  • Availability: High
    CVE-2016-6473 can disrupt system operations, potentially causing complete denial of service (DoS).

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.

EPSS Score: 0.055% (probability of exploit)

EPSS Percentile: 26.51% (lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 73.49% of others.

CVE-2016-6473 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-399

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.0\(2\)se8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.0\(2\)se8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2\)e2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2\)e2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2a\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(2a\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3\)e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3\)e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3\)e1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3a\)e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:15.2\(3a\)e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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