MEDIUM
CVE-2016-3985
CWE-284Published: April 12, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
6.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
The Terminal Services Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client session restrictions feature in Pulse Connect Secure (aka PCS) 8.1R7 and 8.2R1 allow remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions via unspecified vectors.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-3985 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 full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 6.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
pulsesecure1 product(s)
pulse connect secure
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
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Official Patches & Advisories
All References (4)
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-3985
CVSS Score6.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-284
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 12, 2016
Related CVEs (CWE-284)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-3985 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.