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NetscalerApplication · Citrix

CVE-2016-2071

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2016-02-17
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and NetScaler Gateway 11.x before 11.0 Build 64.34, 10.5 before 10.5 Build 59.13, and 10.5.e before Build 59.1305.e allows remote attackers to gain privileges via unspecified NS Web GUI commands.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

This is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway Web GUI interfaces. Unspecified commands in the NS Web GUI allow remote attackers to gain elevated privileges. Affected versions are NetScaler 11.x before build 64.34, 10.5 before build 59.13, and 10.5.e before build 59.1305.e.

MitigationUpgrade NetScaler ADC/Gateway to the fixed builds (11.0 Build 64.34, 10.5 Build 59.13, or 10.5.e Build 59.1305.e). If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict or disable the NS Web GUI management interface and ensure only trusted networks can access management ports.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
NetscalerApplication
Affected:= 10.5= 10.5e= 11.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify NetScaler ADC or Gateway installation
    Run command 'show version' or 'nsversion' via NetScaler CLI to confirm the product and capture the full build string
    Affected if The command returns a NetScaler build number that matches version 10.5, 10.5e, or 11.x
  2. Compare build number against fixed versions
    Extract the build number from the version output and compare against: 64.34 (for 11.x), 59.13 (for 10.5), or 59.1305.e (for 10.5.e)
    Affected if Installed build is lower than the corresponding fixed build for your version branch
  3. Confirm Web GUI management interface is enabled
    Run command 'show mgmtParameter' or check if HTTP/HTTPS management ports (typically 80/443 or 8080/8443) are listening and accessible
    Affected if The Web GUI interface is enabled and exposed, as this is the attack surface for the privilege escalation
  4. Verify external or untrusted network access to management interface
    Review network access controls, firewall rules, or NSRadius settings to determine if the Web GUI is reachable from untrusted networks
    Affected if Management interface is accessible from networks outside the trusted administrative zone

You are affected if your NetScaler runs version 10.5, 10.5e, or 11.x with a build lower than the fixed threshold AND the Web GUI management interface is enabled and reachable.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade NetScaler ADC/Gateway to the fixed builds (11.0 Build 64.34, 10.5 Build 59.13, or 10.5.e Build 59.1305.e). If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict or disable the NS Web GUI management interface and ensure only trusted networks can access management ports.

Recommended fix High confidence

NetScaler ADC/Gateway 11.0 Build 64.34 or later; NetScaler 10.5 Build 59.13 or later; NetScaler 10.5.e Build 59.1305.e or later

  1. 1. Identify current NetScaler build version by logging into the CLI and running 'show version' or checking via the web GUI under System > Information > Version
  2. 2. Confirm the current build is one of the vulnerable versions: 11.x before Build 64.34, 10.5 before Build 59.13, or 10.5.e before Build 59.1305.e
  3. 3. Download the fixed build from Citrix support portal (support.citrix.com) - search for Build 64.34 or later for 11.x, or Build 59.13 or later for 10.5/10.5.e
  4. 4. Review Citrix upgrade documentation for your specific model to ensure compatibility and backup requirements
  5. 5. Create a full configuration backup before upgrading
  6. 6. Apply the upgrade using the CLI (via 'install' command) or the web GUI (System > Upgrade Wizard)
  7. 7. After upgrade completes, verify the new build version matches the fixed release
  8. 8. Test NetScaler functionality and confirm the vulnerability is addressed
Caveat Upgrading between major builds may require configuration migration; ensure compatibility with dependent systems and review Citrix release notes for any behavioral changes

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Netscaler Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,130
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-2071 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data