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Email Security Appliance Firmware CVE-2016-6463

MEDIUM
Improper Input Validation (CWE-20)
2016-11-19 psirt@cisco.com
5.3
CVSS 3.0 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V2 - Validation and Business Logic Input validation, allowlisting
Impact

CVSS score of 5.3 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.17%.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the medium-severity affected system.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
No patch listed yet 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

A vulnerability in the email filtering functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass Advanced Malware. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

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Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20. A vulnerability in the email filtering functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) filters that are configured for an affected device. This vulnerability affects all releases prior to the first fixed release of Cisco AsyncOS Software for both virtual and hardware versions of Cisco Email Security Appliances, if the AMP feature is configured to scan incoming email attachments. More Information: CSCuz85823. Known Affected Releases: 10.0.0-082 9.7.0-125 9.7.1-066. Known Fixed Releases: 10.0.0-203 9.7.2-131. Affected products include: Cisco Email Security Appliance Firmware.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 5.3 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

DescriptionCVE.org

A vulnerability in the email filtering functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) filters that are configured for an affected device. This vulnerability affects all releases prior to the first fixed release of Cisco AsyncOS Software for both virtual and hardware versions of Cisco Email Security Appliances, if the AMP feature is configured to scan incoming email attachments. More Information: CSCuz85823. Known Affected Releases: 10.0.0-082 9.7.0-125 9.7.1-066. Known Fixed Releases: 10.0.0-203 9.7.2-131.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 62% exploitable
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
Yes
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

26
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +26
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:email_security_appliance_firmware:9.7.0-125:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:email_security_appliance_firmware:9.7.1-06:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:email_security_appliance_firmware:10.0.0-082:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2016-6406 CRITICAL
9.8 Sep 22

Cisco IronPort AsyncOS 9.1.2-023, 9.1.2-028, 9.1.2-036, 9.7.2-046, 9.7.2-047, 9.7.2-054, 10.0.0-124, and 10.0.0-125 on E

CVE-2014-2119 HIGH
8.5 Mar 21

The End User Safelist/Blocklist (aka SLBL) service in Cisco AsyncOS Software for Email Security Appliance (ESA) before 7

CVE-2014-3289 MEDIUM POC
4.3 Jun 10

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the web management interface in Cisco AsyncOS on the Email Security Applianc

CVE-2015-0624 MEDIUM POC
4.3 Feb 21

The web framework in Cisco AsyncOS on Email Security Appliance (ESA), Content Security Management Appliance (SMA), and W

CVE-2013-5537 HIGH
7.8 Oct 24

The web framework on Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA), Email Security Appliance (ESA), and Content Security Management

CVE-2017-6671 HIGH
7.5 Jun 13

A vulnerability in the email message scanning of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) could a

CVE-2016-6458 HIGH
7.5 Nov 19

A vulnerability in the content filtering functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances cou

CVE-2019-12706 HIGH
7.5 Oct 02

A vulnerability in the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Ap

CVE-2019-1955 HIGH
7.5 Aug 08

A vulnerability in the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Ap

CVE-2015-6309 MEDIUM
6.8 Oct 02

Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) 8.5.6-106 and 9.6.0-042 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of serv

CVE-2013-3395 MEDIUM
6.8 Jul 02

Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the web framework on Cisco IronPort Web Security Appliance (WSA) devi

CVE-2018-0140 MEDIUM
6.5 Feb 08

A vulnerability in the spam quarantine of Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance

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