# CVE-2016-4117: Adobe Flash Player Arbitrary Code Execution

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors in Adobe Flash Player, requiring users to upgrade immediately.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 May 2016
- **Updated:** 10 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pg3m-fww2-6vrj, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-4117

## What is CVE-2016-4117?

CVE-2016-4117 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 11 May 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.226 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in May 2016.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4117?

It affects 9 products.


Products: Adobe Flash Player, Opensuse Evergreen, Opensuse Opensuse, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server From Rhui, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop, Suse Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4117?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 24 Mar 2022.

## Is CVE-2016-4117 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-4117 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- A brief report on CVE-2016-4117 (A vulnerability in Adobe Flash) (github_poc): https://github.com/amit-raut/CVE-2016-4117-Report
- Adobe Flash Player DeleteRangeTimelineOperation Type-Confusion (metasploit)
- Adobe Flash Player - DeleteRangeTimelineOperation Type Confusion (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player

- [CVE-2017-11292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11292/): Adobe Flash Player Type Confusion (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-7892](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7892/): Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-7855](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7855/): Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0497](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0497/): Adobe Flash Player Integer Underflow Vulnerablity (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-0643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-0643/): Adobe Flash Player Incorrect Default Permissions (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4117 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4117 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 11 May 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-4117 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Adobe Flash Player. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4117/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4117/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4117
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4117
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4117

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4117/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.