HTTPS: HEIST attack allows attackers to sniff TLS encrypted HTTP traffic
Published Sep 6, 2016
5.3
MEDIUMCVSS 3.0
EPSS 13.98%
Description
The HTTPS protocol does not consider the role of the TCP congestion window in providing information about content length, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain cleartext data by leveraging a web-browser configuration in which third-party cookies are sent, aka a "HEIST" attack.
Affected products
No data.
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
httpd
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | httpd | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat mitigation
Disable third-party cookies in the browser. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/disable-third-party-cookies (Firefox) https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en (Google Chrome)
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
1 other source (Red Hat) ▾
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (21 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.44th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 22, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.38th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 21, 2026 | 15.77% (0.15772) | 96.77th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.30th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 15.77% (0.15772) | 96.70th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.28th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 28, 2026 | 15.77% (0.15772) | 96.68th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 24, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.26th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 15.77% (0.15772) | 96.67th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 13.98% (0.13983) | 96.07th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 1.25% (0.01253) | 79.06th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 2.28% (0.02278) | 84.07th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 3.38% (0.03384) | 86.25th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 11.82% (0.11822) | 89.50th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 3.74% (0.03743) | 87.22th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.51% (0.00514) | 77.46th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 29, 2024 | 0.55% (0.00549) | 77.61th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 8, 2024 | 0.51% (0.00514) | 75.99th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.51% (0.00514) | 73.05th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 33.54% (0.33536) | 97.66th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 33.54% (0.33536) | 96.62th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (14)
- http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/08/new-attack-steals-ssns-e-mail-addresses-and-more-from-https-pages/ x_refsource_MISCTechnical Description
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92769 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036741 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036742 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036743 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036744 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036745 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036746 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-7152 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1388003 Issue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7152
- https://tom.vg/papers/heist_blackhat2016.pdf x_refsource_MISCTechnical Description
- https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-VanGoethem-HEIST-HTTP-Encrypted-Information-Can-Be-Stolen-Through-TCP-Windows-wp.pdf
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7152
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.