{"id":"CVE-2016-0185","published":"2016-05-11T01:59:26Z","modified":"2026-06-17T00:37:04Z","title":"Microsoft Windows Media Center Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"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.\"","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"A flaw in the Media Center component of Microsoft Windows (Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, and Windows 8.1) is caused by improper input validation when processing Media Center link (.mcl) files. An attacker who can get a user to open a specially crafted .mcl file can execute arbitrary code, which requires user interaction and no prior authentication.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-23T07:10:50Z"},"cvss":{"score":7.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.69846,"percentile":0.99368,"date":"2026-10-28","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2021-11-03","dueDate":"2022-05-03","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-0185","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2021-11-03","exploitedFirstSeen":"2021-11-03","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2021-11-03"}],"evidenceTotal":1,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-20","name":"Improper Input Validation"}],"references":[{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90023","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035832","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-16-277","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-059","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805/","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90023","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035832","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-16-277","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-059","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805/","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-0185","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1204.001","name":"Malicious Link","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"ai","basis":"ai-mapping","bases":["ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"claude-haiku-5-5: user opens crafted malicious file","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"via a crafted Media Center link (aka .mcl) file","start":126,"end":173}],"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"},{"id":"T1203","name":"Exploitation for Client Execution","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"ai","basis":"ai-mapping","bases":["ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"claude-haiku-5-5: exploited media client executes attacker code","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code","start":76,"end":125}],"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2016-0223","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2016-0223","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2021-11-03","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[{"id":39805,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805","title":"Microsoft Windows Media Center - '.MCL' File Processing Remote Code Execution (MS16-059)","type":"remote","platform":"windows","date":"2016-05-12","verified":true,"provenance":"source"}],"exploitSources":{"exploitdb":{"count":1,"earliest":"2016-05-12"},"first":{"date":"2016-05-12","source":"Exploit-DB","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805"},"provenance":"source"},"exploitRefs":["https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805/"],"flow":[{"stage":"exploitation","techniques":["T1204.001"],"provenance":"ai"},{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1203"],"provenance":"ai"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2016-05-11","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-0185","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2016-05-12","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: Exploit-DB (EDB-39805)","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39805","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-11-03","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-11-03","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-11-03","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2016-0223","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":1,"firstExploitFrom":"Exploit-DB","daysToKev":2002},"priority":{"score":68.3,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1821 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":19.87,"detail":"percentile 0.9937"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"1 Exploit-DB entry; 1 NVD exploit link"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":5.46,"detail":"base score 7.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]},"lineage":{"familyId":"fam-class-microsoft-windows-cwe-20"}}