CVE-2016-0185

KEVMicrosoft Windows Media Center Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Windows Media Center contains a remote code execution vulnerability when Windows Media Center opens a specially crafted Media Center link (.mcl) file that references malicious code.

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."

CVSS 3.1 vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

PublishedMay 11, 2016

Last modifiedJun 17, 2026

Added to KEVNov 3, 2021

Remediation dueMay 3, 2022

References

securityfocus.com/bid/90023Broken LinkThird Party Advisory
securitytracker.com/id/1035832Broken LinkThird Party Advisory
zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-16-277Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-059PatchVendor Advisory
exploit-db.com/exploits/39805/Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-0185US Government Resource

0 recent articles mention this CVE

Risk assessment · High

Actively exploited. Patch immediately.

Exploitation: Confirmed in the wild (CISA KEV)
Federal remediation deadline: Overdue by 1637 days
CVSS: 7.8 HIGH
EPSS (30-day exploit probability): 69.8% · top 1% of all CVEs
Weakness: NVD-CWE-noinfo

Recommended actions

1.Apply updates per vendor instructions.
2.Treat as emergency change: patch or isolate internet-facing instances first.
3.Hunt for compromise: review logs for the disclosure window, not just from the patch date.

Assessment is derived automatically from the live signals above; verify against your own asset inventory.