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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-6415 Cisco CVE debrief

CVE-2016-6415 is a Cisco IKEv1 information disclosure vulnerability affecting Cisco IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE. CISA has listed it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means defenders should treat it as actively important to remediate on any exposed or still-supported Cisco systems. The supplied source data does not provide deeper technical detail, so the safest response is to verify device exposure, follow Cisco's advisory and update guidance, and prioritize remediation on internet-facing or VPN-edge equipment.

Vendor
Cisco
Product
IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE
CVSS
Unknown
CISA KEV
Listed
Original CVE published
2023-05-19
Original CVE updated
2023-05-19
Advisory published
2023-05-19
Advisory updated
2023-05-19

Who should care

Security teams that manage Cisco IOS, IOS XR, or IOS XE devices, especially routers and edge systems using IKEv1. Network operations, VPN administrators, and vulnerability management teams should also prioritize it because CISA has classified it as known exploited.

Technical summary

The record identifies an information disclosure issue in Cisco's IKEv1 implementation across IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE. The supplied sources do not include exploit mechanics, affected feature combinations, or patch version details, so the appropriate defensive interpretation is simply that sensitive information may be exposed on vulnerable systems and that vendor-directed updates are required.

Defensive priority

High. CISA's KEV listing indicates known exploitation, and the affected products are commonly deployed at network edges where exposure can be broad. If any impacted Cisco device remains unpatched, remediation should be prioritized immediately.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Inventory Cisco IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE devices in your environment and identify where IKEv1 is enabled or exposed.
  • Apply updates per Cisco's vendor instructions for the affected platforms.
  • Prioritize internet-facing VPN, edge, and perimeter devices first.
  • Confirm remediation status against the CISA KEV due date for this record.
  • Use Cisco's official advisory and device-specific guidance to validate the correct fixed release for each platform.
  • Track any exceptions or deferred devices as high-risk until they are updated.

Evidence notes

All claims here are limited to the supplied source metadata and official links. The CISA KEV record names the issue as 'Cisco IOS, IOS XR, and IOS XE IKEv1 Information Disclosure Vulnerability,' marks it as known exploited, and says 'Apply updates per vendor instructions.' The source item metadata also references Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-20160916-ikev1 and the NVD detail for CVE-2016-6415. No additional exploit behavior or patch specifics are asserted beyond those sources.

Official resources

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-05-19 and set a due date of 2023-06-09. The supplied source material does not include vendor patch version details, only the directive to apply updates per vendor or