dbcve.org
Manageengine Applications ManagerApplication · Zohocorp

CVE-2016-9498

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2018-07-13
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
ManageEngine Applications Manager 12 and 13 before build 13200, allows unserialization of unsafe Java objects. The vulnerability can be exploited by remote user without authentication and it allows to execute remote code compromising the application as well as the operating system. As Application Manager's RMI registry is running with privileges of system administrator, by exploiting this vulnerability an attacker gains highest privileges on the underlying operating system.

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

ManageEngine Applications Manager 12 and 13 before build 13200 contains a Java deserialization vulnerability in its RMI registry that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to deserialize unsafe Java objects and execute arbitrary code. Since the RMI registry runs with system administrator privileges, exploitation grants full root/Administrator access to the underlying operating system.

MitigationUpgrade ManageEngine Applications Manager to build 13200 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, consider network segmentation or disabling the RMI registry if not required for business functions, though this may impact functionality.

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
Manageengine Applications ManagerApplication
Affected:= 12.0= 13.0

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 if ManageEngine Applications Manager is installed
    Look for the application in typical installation directories such as C:\Program Files\ManageEngine\Applications Manager (Windows) or /opt/ManageEngine/Applications Manager (Linux/Unix). Check running services for 'Applications Manager' or 'AppManager' processes.
    Affected if The application is present on the system
  2. Determine the installed build version
    Access the Applications Manager web interface and navigate to About section (typically at /about.do or Settings > About), or check the build.txt/build.info file in the installation directory. Note the exact build number.
    Affected if The build number is lower than 13200 (for versions 12.0 or 13.0)
  3. Check if the RMI registry is accessible
    Use a network scanner or netstat command to check if port 1099 (default RMI registry port) is listening on the server where Applications Manager is installed. Verify if the port is exposed to untrusted networks.
    Affected if Port 1099 is open and accessible from untrusted network segments
  4. Verify the version falls within affected range
    Confirm the major version is 12.0 or 13.0 and the build number is below 13200. Cross-reference with the application's built version information.
    Affected if Version is 12.0 or 13.0 with build number less than 13200 AND RMI registry is accessible

A user is affected if ManageEngine Applications Manager versions 12.0 or 13.0 with build number below 13200 is installed AND the RMI registry (port 1099) is accessible on the network.

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 ManageEngine Applications Manager to build 13200 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, consider network segmentation or disabling the RMI registry if not required for business functions, though this may impact functionality.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

ManageEngine Applications Manager build 13200 or later

  1. 1. Backup the current Applications Manager installation and database
  2. 2. Download ManageEngine Applications Manager build 13200 or later from the official ManageEngine download portal
  3. 3. Stop the Applications Manager service
  4. 4. Install the updated version following standard upgrade procedures
  5. 5. Verify the build number after installation to confirm the patch was applied
  6. 6. Restart the Applications Manager service
  7. 7. Test that the RMI registry and core functionality are working properly
Caveat Review release notes for build 13200 for any configuration or feature changes that may require adjustments

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

Fix this in Manageengine Applications Manager Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,380
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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-2016-9498 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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