HIGH
CVE-2016-2542
NVD-CWE-OtherPublished: February 24, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.8
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
Untrusted search path vulnerability in Flexera InstallShield through 2015 SP1 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory of a setup-launcher executable file.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-2542 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low 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 7.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
flexera1 product(s)
installshield
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (12)
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84213Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035097Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://flexeracommunity.force.com/customer/articles/INFO/Best-Practices-to-Avoid-Windows-Setup-Launcher-Executable-IssuesTechnical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2019-08Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84213Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035097Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://flexeracommunity.force.com/customer/articles/INFO/Best-Practices-to-Avoid-Windows-Setup-Launcher-Executable-IssuesTechnical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2019-08Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-2542
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessNVD-CWE-Other
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedFeb 24, 2016
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-Other)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-2542 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.