Is CVE-2016-3986 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2016-3986, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2016-3986 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2016-3986 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-3986?

CVE-2016-3986 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH).

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HIGHPOC

CVE-2016-3986

CWE-119Published: April 12, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Avast allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PE file, related to authenticode parsing.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-3986 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

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.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2016-3986. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.