Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2016-1296

The proxy engine on Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) devices with software 8.5.3-055, 9.1.0-000, and 9.5.0-235 allows remote attackers to bypass intended proxy restrictions via a malformed HTTP method, aka Bug ID CSCux00848.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts integrity (unauthorized modifications), for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from cisco organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

First disclosed in 2016, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.

Published

2016-01-20T05:59:02.220

Last Modified

2025-04-12T10:46:40.837

Status

Deferred

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.0: 7.5 (HIGH)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: LOW
Authentication: NONE
Confidentiality Impact: NONE
Integrity Impact: PARTIAL
Availability Impact: NONE

Exploitability Score

10.0

Impact Score

2.9

Weaknesses

Type: Primary
CWE-254

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Application	cisco	web_security_appliance	8.5.3-055	Yes
Application	cisco	web_security_appliance	9.1.0-000	Yes
Application	cisco	web_security_appliance	9.5.0-235	Yes

References

http://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20160119-wsa Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1034763 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20160119-wsa Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1034763 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For cisco's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.