CVE-2016-3648
CWE-200Published: June 30, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) 12.1 before RU6 MP5 allows remote authenticated users to bypass the Authentication Lock protection mechanism, and conduct brute-force password-guessing attacks against management-console accounts, by entering data into the authorization window.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-3648 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
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 8.8.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-200): Information exposure vulnerabilities leak sensitive data to unauthorized actors.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (6)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-200)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-3648 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts