# CVE-2016-6415: Cisco IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE IKEv1 Information Disclosure

> Remote attackers can read sensitive memory data from Cisco network devices via IKEv1 SA negotiation requests.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 19 May 2023 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 12 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-ccm6-q86p-2hwx

## What is CVE-2016-6415?

CVE-2016-6415 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios, published on 19 Sep 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-6415?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Cisco Ios, Cisco Ios Xe, Cisco Ios Xr.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-6415?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-6415 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 9 Jun 2023.

## Is CVE-2016-6415 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-6415 in the wild since at least 19 May 2023.

Public exploit code:

- Re-implementation of VirtueSecurity's benigncertain-monitor (github_poc): https://github.com/3ndG4me/CVE-2016-6415-BenignCertain-Monitor
- Cisco IKE Information Disclosure (metasploit)
- Cisco IOS 12.2 < 12.4 / 15.0 < 15.6 - Security Association Negotiation Request Device Memory (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios

- [CVE-2017-12240](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12240/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software DHCP Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-3881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3881/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0167](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0167/): Cisco IOS, XR, and XE Software Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6736](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6736/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6737](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6737/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-6415 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-6415 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios, published on 19 Sep 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-6415 in the wild since at least 19 May 2023.

Affected product: Cisco Ios. 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-2016-6415/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6415/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-6415
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6415
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-6415

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6415/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.