# CVE-2016-1523: Null dereference in n/a > Remote attackers can cause a browser crash via a crafted Graphite smart font due to a null pointer dereference in the Graphite library. - **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/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:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 13 Feb 2016 - **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-1523, GHSA-996f-83x4-9fpc, SUSE-SU-2016:0554-1, SUSE-SU-2016:0564-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-1523 ## What is CVE-2016-1523? CVE-2016-1523 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 13 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description The SillMap::readFace function in FeatureMap.cpp in Libgraphite in Graphite 2 1.2.4, as used in Mozilla Firefox before 43.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x before 38.6.1, mishandles a return value, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (missing initialization, NULL pointer dereference, and application crash) via a crafted Graphite smart font. ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1523? It affects 5 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 SP4 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-34.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-34.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-34.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-34.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP1 | All versions | 38.6.1esr-60.1 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Sil Graphite2. ## How do I fix CVE-2016-1523? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2016-1523 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1523 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1523 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2016-1523 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 13 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1523 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2016-1523/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1523/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1523 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1523 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1523 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1523/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.