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Actively exploited

CVE-2016-0984 Adobe Flash Player and AIR Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR allows attackers to execute code.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch urgentlyCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 25 May 2022.
  • Rated High severity (CVSS 8.8, scored by CISA).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 1,626 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.329 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.569 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 20.0.0.260, Adobe AIR SDK before 20.0.0.260, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 20.0.0.260 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0973, CVE-2016-0974, CVE-2016-0975, CVE-2016-0982, and CVE-2016-0983.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Adobe Flash Player and AIR. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    The impacted products are end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated high, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 15 Jun 2022 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited Adobe Flaws

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All 83 exploited Adobe vulnerabilities

Not Sure If You Are Exposed?

Our attack surface and vulnerability teams can check your internet-facing estate for CVE-2016-0984 and every other exploited flaw on the list.

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2016-0984
  3. CVE record: CVE-2016-0984
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. exploit-db.com/exploits/39462/
  6. lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00027.html
  7. securitytracker.com/id/1034970
  8. security.gentoo.org/glsa/201603-07
  9. rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0166.html
  10. lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00030.html
  11. lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00029.html
  12. helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb16-04.html