# CVE-2016-9225: Denial of service in all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can cause a denial of service in the Cisco ASA CX module by exhausting packet buffers via crafted IP fragments.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 1 Feb 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-847f-22gw-x6h3

## What is CVE-2016-9225?

CVE-2016-9225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module, published on 1 Feb 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the data plane IP fragment handler of the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) CX Context-Aware Security module could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the CX module to be unable to process further traffic, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to improper handling of IP fragments. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted fragmented IP traffic across the CX module. An exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust free packet buffers in shared memory (SHM), causing the CX module to be unable to process further traffic, resulting in a DoS condition. This vulnerability affects all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module. Cisco has not released and will not release software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCva62946.

Weakness: CWE-399

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-9225?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Asa Cx Context-Aware Security Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-9225?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-9225 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-9225 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-9225 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module

- [CVE-2016-1301](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1301/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2015-0678](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0678/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2013-1203](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1203/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2015-6344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6344/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 4.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-9225 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-9225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module, published on 1 Feb 2017. 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-2016-9225 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: all versions of the ASA CX Context-Aware Security module. 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-2016-9225/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9225/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9225
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9225
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-9225

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9225/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.