# CVE-2016-6461: XML external entity in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 9.1(6.10)

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject arbitrary XML commands via the HTTP management interface, potentially leading to code execution or data exposure.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Nov 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mr8c-v6w9-mj48

## What is CVE-2016-6461?

CVE-2016-6461 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 19 Nov 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the HTTP web-based management interface of the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to inject arbitrary XML commands on the affected system. More Information: CSCva38556. Known Affected Releases: 9.1(6.10). Known Fixed Releases: 100.11(0.75) 100.15(0.137) 100.8(40.129) 96.2(0.95) 97.1(0.55) 97.1(12.7) 97.1(6.30).

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-6461?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-6461?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-6461 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-6461 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-6461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software

- [CVE-2025-20333](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20333/): Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Buffer Overflow (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-6366](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6366/): Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) SNMP Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-20349](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20349/): Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Heap Inspection (high 8.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-20353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20353/): Cisco ASA and FTD Denial of Service (high 8.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-6367](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6367/): Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) CLI Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-6461 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-6461 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 19 Nov 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-6461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software. 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-2016-6461/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6461/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-6461
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6461
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-6461

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6461/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.