HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-1550
MEDIUM

CVE-2016-1550

CWE-200Published: January 6, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.3
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

An exploitable vulnerability exists in the message authentication functionality of libntp in ntp 4.2.8p4 and NTPSec a5fb34b9cc89b92a8fef2f459004865c93bb7f92. An attacker can send a series of crafted messages to attempt to recover the message digest key.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-1550 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-200): Information exposure vulnerabilities leak sensitive data to unauthorized actors.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

ntp1 product(s)
ntp
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (68)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-1550
CVSS Score5.3 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-200
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 6, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-200)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2016-1550 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.