Analyst readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw can let an unauthenticated remote attacker bypass Cisco Firepower FTP malware-blocking policy and download malware over FTP. It affects environments using Cisco Firepower System Software with a file policy configured to block malware on FTP connections.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation where Cisco Firepower is relied on to block malware over FTP. The issue weakens a security control rather than proving device compromise, but it can let malicious files pass through a trusted inspection layer.
Technical view
CVE-2016-6460 is an FTP REST API issue in Cisco Firepower System Software. The reported impact is evasion of FTP malware detection rules, not direct device takeover. The source bundle lists affected releases from 5.4.0.2 through 6.2.0 and references Cisco bugs CSCuv36188 and CSCuy91156.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Cisco Firepower deployments that inspect FTP and have file policies with malware blocking enabled for FTP connections. Organizations without FTP inspection or without the named Firepower versions may not be exposed based on the provided evidence.
Exploitation context
The source bundle supports unauthenticated remote exploitation of the detection-bypass condition. It does not cite active exploitation, KEV listing, public exploit code, or observed attacks. Treat exploitation evidence as incomplete.
Researcher notes
The record has incomplete severity metadata and no CVSS or CWE values. The source bundle also lists 6.0.0 as both affected and fixed, so researchers should verify exact vulnerable and fixed builds in the Cisco advisory before drawing version conclusions.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco advisory cisco-sa-20161116-fss for the authoritative fixed-release path.
- Upgrade or patch affected Cisco Firepower System Software according to Cisco guidance.
- Verify FTP malware-block file policies remain enabled after remediation.
- Restrict unnecessary FTP traffic where business operations allow.
- Monitor Cisco bug IDs CSCuv36188 and CSCuy91156 for vendor detail.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco Firepower appliances and software versions.
- Identify file policies with malware block configured for FTP connections.
- Check whether FTP traffic is permitted through inspected network paths.
- Confirm remediation against Cisco advisory and fixed-release notes.
- Review security logs for unexpected FTP malware-policy bypass indicators.
Public sources used
Based on public source material and reviewed before publication.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2016-6460 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 94359CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20161116-fssCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.