CVE-2016-1019
Adobe Flash Player Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.197 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in April 2016.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 3 March 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 24 March 2022. CISA records this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 22.3%, which is higher than 97.7% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2016-1019 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2016-1019.
What does CVE-2016-1019 affect?
CVE-2016-1019 affects Adobe Flash Player. Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.197 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in April 2016.
How severe is CVE-2016-1019?
CVE-2016-1019 is rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 22.3%, higher than 97.7% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 24 March 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2016-1019?
Apply the vendor patch for Adobe Flash Player as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.