CVE-2006-6885: An ActiveX control in SwDir.dll in Macromedia Shockwave 10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of servic

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MEDIUM 4.3DOWNGRADE

CVE-2006-6885 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 4.3) affecting shockwave. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

An ActiveX control in SwDir.dll in Macromedia Shockwave 10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer 7 crash) via a long string in the swURL attribute.

Why this priority

EPSS top 5%: very likely to be exploited
Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	4.3 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	7.9% (top 5%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2006-12-31
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: macromedia

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2006-12-31 05:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:33 UTCUpdated Record last modified

macromedia shockwave DOWNGRADE

Affected: 10

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 10

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy shockwave || rpm -q shockwave || shockwave --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 10 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison shockwave sudo apt install shockwave=<VERSION_BEFORE_10> sudo apt-mark hold shockwave

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list shockwave sudo dnf downgrade shockwave-<VERSION_BEFORE_10> sudo dnf versionlock add shockwave

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: Macromedia Shockwave 10 'SwDir.dll' Internet Explorer 7 - Denial of Service

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2006-6885?

shockwave: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2006-6885 being exploited?

CVE-2006-6885 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2006-6885 affect?

CVE-2006-6885 affects shockwave. Severity is medium (CVSS 4.3). An ActiveX control in SwDir.dll in Macromedia Shockwave 10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer 7 crash) via a long string in the swURL attribute.

How urgent is CVE-2006-6885?

Priority 44/100. EPSS top 5%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference

Software pages

Internet Explorer vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2017-11294 CRITICAL 9.8 UPGRADE An issue was discovered in Adobe Shockwave 12.2.9.199 and earlier
CVE-2007-1403 HIGH 7.5 DOWNGRADE Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in an ActiveX control in SwDir.dll 10.1.4.20 in Macromedia Shockwave all

References

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