CVE-2016-6415: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-26T22:05:16.958Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

The server IKEv1 implementation in Cisco IOS 12.2 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6, IOS XE through 3.18S, IOS XR 4.3.x and 5.0.x through 5.2.x, and PIX before 7.0 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from device memory via a Security Association (SA) negotiation request, aka Bug IDs CSCvb29204 and CSCvb36055 or BENIGNCERTAIN.

• Context preserved from previous revision: The server IKEv1 implementation in Cisco IOS 12.2 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6, IOS XE through 3.18S, IOS XR 4.3.x and 5.0.x through 5.2.x, and PIX before 7.0 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from device memory via a Security Association (SA) negotiation request, aka Bug IDs CSCvb29204 and CSCvb36055 or BENIGNCERTAIN. 1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2016-6415
• KEV date added: 2023-05-19
• KEV due date: 2023-06-09
• NVD published: 2016-09-19
• NVD modified: 2026-01-13
• MITRE modified: 2026-01-12
• CVSS base score: 7.5
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
• CVSS exploitability score: 3.9
• CVSS impact score: 3.6
• Attack vector: Network
• Attack complexity: Low
• Privileges required: None
• User interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: None
• Availability impact: None

Versions and Products Impacted

• cisco / ios (versions: >= 12.2, <= 12.4)
• cisco / ios (versions: >= 15.0, <= 15.6)
• cisco / ios xe (versions: <= 3.18s)
• cisco / ios xr (versions: >= 4.3.0, <= 4.3.4)
• cisco / ios xr (versions: >= 5.0.0, < 5.3.0)
• n/a / n/a (versions: n/a)

Weakness Classification

• CWE-200

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• qazbnm456/awesome-cve-poc | stars: 3484 | updated: 2026-03-24 | https://github.com/qazbnm456/awesome-cve-poc
  Notes: ✍️ A curated list of CVE PoCs.
• Ostorlab/KEV | stars: 608 | updated: 2026-03-23 | https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
  Notes: Ostorlab KEV: One-command to detect most remotely known exploitable vulnerabilities. Sourced from CISA KEV, Google's Tsunami, Ostorlab's Asteroid and Bug Bounty programs.

People and Organizations Mentioned

• cisco
• IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE
• qazbnm456
• Ostorlab

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Inventory cisco / ios (versions: >= 12.2, <= 12.4) assets and confirm exact vulnerable versions with automated checks.
4. Patch in staged environments and validate closure with scanners + service health checks.
5. Map detections to MITRE ATT&CK tactics relevant to your environment and tune alert quality.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6415
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-6415
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• KEV notes: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20160916-ikev1; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6415
• http://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20160916-ikev1
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93003
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036841
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-6415
• Repository example: https://github.com/qazbnm456/awesome-cve-poc
• Repository example: https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.