# CVE-2016-1281: Other in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code with administrator privileges via DLL hijacking in the TrueCrypt and VeraCrypt installers.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j6gq-8954-2rw9

## What is CVE-2016-1281?

CVE-2016-1281 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jan 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

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer for TrueCrypt 7.2 and 7.1a, VeraCrypt before 1.17-BETA, and possibly other products allows local users to execute arbitrary code with administrator privileges and conduct DLL hijacking attacks via a Trojan horse DLL in the "application directory", as demonstrated with the USP10.dll, RichEd20.dll, NTMarta.dll and SRClient.dll DLLs.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1281?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Idrix Truecrypt, Idrix Veracrypt.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-1281?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-1281 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-1281 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1281 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2019-1010208](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1010208/): Information disclosure in Veracrypt, Truecrypt (low 3.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1281 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-1281 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jan 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-2016-1281 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-2016-1281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1281/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1281
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1281
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1281

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1281/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.