# CVE-2016-10194: festivaltts4r allows arbitrary command execution

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the festivaltts4r Ruby gem's speech methods.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f7f4-5w9j-23p2

## What is CVE-2016-10194?

CVE-2016-10194 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Mar 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The festivaltts4r gem for Ruby allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a string to the (1) to_speech or (2) to_mp3 method in lib/festivaltts4r/festival4r.rb.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-10194?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including festivaltts4r. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `festivaltts4r` | RubyGems | All versions to 0.2.0 | None |
| `festivaltts4r` | RubyGems | All versions to 0.2.0 | None |

Products: Festivaltts4r Project Festivaltts4r.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-10194?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-10194 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-10194 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-10194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-10194 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-10194 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Mar 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-10194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- festivaltts4r (RubyGems): affected all versions up to 0.2.0; no fix listed
- festivaltts4r (RubyGems): affected all versions up to 0.2.0; no fix listed

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-2016-10194/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10194/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10194
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10194
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-10194

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10194/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.