CVE-2016-0185

Microsoft Windows: Media Center Remote Code Execution

As of , CVE-2016-0185 in Microsoft Windows is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch this week.

Exploited
Yes: CISA listed it on 3 November 2021
US federal deadline
3 May 2022181 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
Used in ransomware campaigns
Not known to CISA
EPSS score
0.70Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
EPSS when listed
Not availableCISA listed it before 4 February 2022, where the EPSS files we read begin.
Public exploit
1 Exploit-DB entry (1 verified)
Fix
No vendor link in CISA's entry

What CISA says to do

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA's required action

What the flaw is

Microsoft Windows Media Center contains a remote code execution vulnerability when Windows Media Center opens a specially crafted Media Center link (.mcl) file that references malicious code.

CISA's description

Media Center in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, and Windows 8.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Media Center link (aka .mcl) file, aka "Windows Media Center Remote Code Execution Vulnerability."

The CVE record's description, from microsoft

CVE published
11 May 2016
Assigned by
microsoft
CVSS
7.8 High (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
CWE-20
Improper Input Validation
CISA SSVC, exploitation
active
CISA SSVC, automatable
no
CISA SSVC, technical impact
total

Timeline

  1. The CVE record was published.
  2. Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 39805).
  3. CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
  4. The US federal deadline to fix it.

Public exploits

Facts from Metasploit's module list and Exploit-DB's index; we never copy exploit code.

Windows: other exploited entries

VulnerabilityProductOur groupListedDeadlineEPSS
CVE-2025-60710Link FollowingMicrosoft WindowsPatch nowRansomware use, listed within a year0.05
CVE-2008-4250Buffer OverflowMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.99; verified Exploit-DB entry0.99
CVE-2008-0015Video ActiveX Control Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.77; verified Exploit-DB entry0.77
CVE-2013-3918Out-of-Bounds WriteMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.74; verified Exploit-DB entry0.74
CVE-2010-2568Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.91; verified Exploit-DB entry0.91
CVE-2015-0016TS WebProxy Directory TraversalMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.76; verified Exploit-DB entry0.76
CVE-2015-2426Adobe Type Manager Library Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.87; verified Exploit-DB entry0.87
CVE-2014-6332Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Automation Array Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.95; verified Exploit-DB entry0.95
CVE-2017-0146SMB Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.90; verified Exploit-DB entry0.90
CVE-2014-4114Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.82; verified Exploit-DB entry0.82

All 174 entries for Windows

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