CVE-2016-3298: in the CISA KEV catalogue
Microsoft Internet Explorer Messaging API Information Disclosure Vulnerability. CISA added CVE-2016-3298 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2022-05-24 with a default due date of 2022-06-14. Known ransomware campaign use: Unknown. Forensic triage flag: No.
An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Microsoft Internet Messaging API improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could allow the attacker to test for the presence of files on disk. (CISA description)
- Vendor / product
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- CWE
- CWE-200
- CISA required action
- Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- EPSS
- 33%, percentile 98 (scored 2026-11-03)
EPSS puts about 33 in 100 odds (33%) on exploitation activity being observed in the next 30 days. Its score is higher than or equal to that of 98% of scored CVEs. This is a model estimate about exploitation anywhere, not about your environment.
Vendor and reference links (from CISA)
Your own deadline under CISA BOD 26-04 depends on exposure, automatability and technical impact: work it out with the BOD 26-04 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2016-3298 in the CISA KEV catalogue?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2016-3298 (Microsoft Internet Explorer Messaging API Information Disclosure Vulnerability) to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2022-05-24. CISA's default due date for it is 2022-06-14.
Is CVE-2016-3298 used in ransomware attacks?
CISA marks known ransomware campaign use as Unknown for CVE-2016-3298. That means CISA lacks confirmation, not that ransomware groups do not use it.
What should I do about CVE-2016-3298?
CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Sources
- CISA, Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (accessed 2026-11-03)
- FIRST, Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) (EPSS by FIRST; scores generated by Empirical Security)
- NVD record for CVE-2016-3298