CVE-2016-1438: Cisco AsyncOS 9.7.0-125 on Email Security Appliance (ESA) devices allows remote attackers to bypass intende...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2016-1438 is a Cisco Email Security Appliance issue where a crafted ZIP archive containing executable content could bypass intended spam filtering. The main business concern is unwanted executable email content reaching users despite the gateway control. The provided sources do not include CVSS, severity, or confirmed exploitation evidence. Exposure is likely limited to organizations using Cisco Email Security Appliance with AsyncOS 9.7.0-125 or any versions Cisco identifies in its advisory. Organizations without Cisco ESA are not indicated as affected by the provided sources. Prioritize assessment if Cisco ESA protects inbound email, because the issue can weaken a key malware-prevention layer. Without confirmed exploitation or severity scoring in the sources, treat it as a focused email-security remediation item rather than an emergency. Mitigation focus: Inventory Cisco ESA appliances and record AsyncOS versions.; Review Cisco advisory cisco-sa-20160622-esa for official fixed-version guidance.; Upgrade or remediate only according to Cisco’s documented recommendations..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 14:22 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.