# CVE-2016-10040: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash applications using the Qt XML library by submitting XML files with deeply nested tags, causing a stack-based buffer overflow.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-10040, GHSA-6ppq-w2qp-6rhq, MGASA-2018-0284, SUSE-SU-2018:1902-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-10040

## What is CVE-2016-10040?

CVE-2016-10040 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Mar 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Stack-based buffer overflow in QXmlSimpleReader in Qt 4.8.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a xml file with multiple nested open tags.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-10040?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `libQtWebKit4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7+2.3.4-4.5.1 |
| `libqca2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.0.3-17.2.1 |
| `libqt4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4-sql-plugins` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `qt4-qtscript` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | All versions | 0.2.0-11.2.4 |
| `libQtWebKit4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7+2.3.4-4.5.1 |
| `libqca2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.0.3-17.2.1 |
| `libqt4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4-devel-doc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.4 |
| `libqt4-sql-plugins` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libQtWebKit4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7+2.3.4-4.5.1 |
| `libqca2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.0.3-17.2.1 |
| `libqt4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4-devel-doc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.4 |
| `libqt4-sql-plugins` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libQtWebKit4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7+2.3.4-4.5.1 |
| `libqca2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.0.3-17.2.1 |
| `libqt4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4-devel-doc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.4 |
| `libqt4-sql-plugins` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `libqt4-sql-plugins` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 12 SP3 | All versions | 4.8.7-8.6.1 |
| `qt4-qtscript` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 12 SP3 | All versions | 0.2.0-11.2.4 |

Products: Qt Qxmlsimplereader.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-10040?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-10040 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-10040 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-10040 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-10040 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Mar 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-10040 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10040/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10040/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10040
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10040
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-10040

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10040/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.