MEDIUM
CVE-2016-6490
CWE-120Published: December 10, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
4.4
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
The virtqueue_map_desc function in hw/virtio/virtio.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS administrators to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and QEMU process crash) via a zero length for the descriptor buffer.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-6490 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 availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 4.4.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.High
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
qemu1 product(s)
qemu
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 (10)
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/28/4Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/28/9Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2016-07/msg06246.htmlPatch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201609-01Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/28/4Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/28/9Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2016-07/msg06246.htmlPatch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201609-01Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-6490
CVSS Score4.4 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-120
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 10, 2016
Related CVEs (CWE-120)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-6490 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.