CVE-2016-9841: inffast.c in zlib 1.2.8 might allow context-dependent attackers to have unspecified…

27

Moderate

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.

How the score was calculated

EPSS 7.6% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
Technical severity (critical)+10
Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation

Not confirmed

Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.

EPSS FIRST

7.55%

ahead of 94% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026

Affects

Apple

Iphone Os and 38 more

CVSS base

9.8

Critical · 1 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation

None

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

Yes

can an attacker script the kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Total

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Apple Iphone Os, Apple Mac Os X, Apple Tvos…).
The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
EPSS ahead of 94% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status	Source
Apple	Iphone Os	< 11	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Apple	Mac Os X	≥ 10.0.0 and < 10.13.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Apple	Tvos	< 11.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Apple	Watchos	< 4	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	version 16.04version 18.04	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Debian	Debian Linux	version 8.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Active Iq Unified Manager	≥ 7.3≥ 9.5	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Cloud Backup	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	E-series Santricity Management	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	E-series Santricity Os Controller	≥ 11.0.0 and ≤ 11.70.1	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	E-series Santricity Storage Manager	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	E-series Santricity Web Services	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Hci Storage Node	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Balance	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Insight	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Performance Manager	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Shift	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Unified Manager	≤ 7.1versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Oncommand Workflow Automation	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Snapmanager	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Solidfire	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Storage Replication Adapter For Clustered Data Ontap	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Symantec Netbackup	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Vasa Provider For Clustered Data Ontap	≥ 7.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp	Virtual Storage Console	versions not specified by the source	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Nodejs	Node.js	≥ 7.0.0 and < 7.6.0≥ 6.9.0 and < 6.10.2≥ 6.0.0 and ≤ 6.8.1≥ 4.2.0 and < 4.8.2≥ 4.0.0 and ≤ 4.1.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Opensuse	Leap	version 42.1version 42.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Opensuse	Opensuse	version 13.2	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Oracle	Database Server	version 18c	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Oracle	Jdk	version 1.8.0-update144version 1.7.0-update151version 1.6.0-update161	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Oracle	Jre	version 1.8.0-update144version 1.7.0-update151version 1.6.0-update161	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Oracle	Mysql	≥ 8.0.0 and ≤ 8.0.12≥ 5.7.0 and ≤ 5.7.23≥ 5.6.0 and ≤ 5.6.41≥ 5.5.0 and ≤ 5.5.61	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat	Enterprise Linux Desktop	version 7.0version 6.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat	Enterprise Linux Eus	version 7.4version 7.5	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat	Enterprise Linux Server	version 6.0version 7.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat	Enterprise Linux Workstation	version 6.0version 7.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat	Satellite	version 5.8	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Zlib	Zlib	≥ 1.2.0 and < 1.2.9	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Scored by
9.8	CVSS 3.1	Critical	3.9	5.9	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
7.5	CVSS 2.0	High	10.0	6.4	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov)

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 7.55%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).

web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

2026
SSVC assessment updated
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Record published
Oct 13, 2026
CVSS changed · 9.8
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Source status changed · → Modified
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Record created in this database
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
2017
CVE published
May 23, 2017 · microfocus

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

34 on the record

access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3453
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
x_refsource_MISC, NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1220
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.securitytracker.com/id/1039596
vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK, NIST National Vulnerability Database
support.apple.com/HT208112
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
wiki.mozilla.org/MOSS/Secure_Open_Source/Completed
x_refsource_MISC, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2017-01/msg00050.html
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, NIST National Vulnerability Database
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.securityfocus.com/bid/95131
vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID, NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1222
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
security.gentoo.org/glsa/202007-54
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.securitytracker.com/id/1039427
vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK, NIST National Vulnerability Database
usn.ubuntu.com/4246-1/
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_UBUNTU, NIST National Vulnerability Database
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-470355.html
NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2999
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
support.apple.com/HT208113
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/05/21
mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST, NIST National Vulnerability Database
support.apple.com/HT208115
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
github.com/madler/zlib/commit/9aaec95e82117c1cb0f9624264c3618fc380cecb
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
support.apple.com/HT208144
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2018-4428296.html
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/01/msg00030.html
mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST, NIST National Vulnerability Database
wiki.mozilla.org/images/0/09/Zlib-report.pdf
x_refsource_MISC, NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1221
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-56
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO, NIST National Vulnerability Database
usn.ubuntu.com/4292-1/
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_UBUNTU, NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3047
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/03/msg00027.html
mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST, NIST National Vulnerability Database
www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2018-4258247.html
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-12/msg00127.html
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, NIST National Vulnerability Database
security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20171019-0001/
x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2017-01/msg00053.html
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_SUSE, NIST National Vulnerability Database
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3046
vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, NIST National Vulnerability Database

Elsewhere on this site

Apple
every CVE for this vendor

Related CVEs (same products)

High CVE-2026-12540 Foreman: command injection in foreman-rake errors:fetch_log via request_id parameter 14d
High CVE-2026-12544 Foreman: ssti and insecure deserialization in foreman-rake configuration 14d
High CVE-2026-12541 Foreman: command injection in foreman-rake database tasks 14d
High CVE-2026-12423 Foreman: unauthenticated information disclosure via provisioning token validation flaw 14d
High CVE-2026-86950 Apple Multiple Products Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability KEV 17d
Medium CVE-2026-86903 Out-of-bounds Read in Apple Ipados Sep 14, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
No CWE classification.
No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2016-9841 is "inffast.c in zlib 1.2.8 might allow context-dependent attackers to have unspecified…", rated Critical. It affects Iphone Os (Apple); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 7.55% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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