HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-2204
HIGH

CVE-2016-2204

CWE-74Published: April 22, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.2
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

The management console on Symantec Messaging Gateway (SMG) Appliance devices before 10.6.1 allows local users to obtain root-shell access via crafted terminal-window input.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-2204 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.2.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.High
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

symantec1 product(s)
messaging gateway
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

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

All References (6)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-2204
CVSS Score8.2 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-74
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 22, 2016

Related CVEs (CWE-74)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2016-2204 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.