# CVE-2016-1568: Use after free in n/a

> Guest OS users can crash the QEMU instance or execute arbitrary code via a use-after-free in AHCI emulation when enabled.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-1568, GHSA-gx29-hhc2-825w, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-1568

## What is CVE-2016-1568?

CVE-2016-1568 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 8 Apr 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use-after-free vulnerability in hw/ide/ahci.c in QEMU, when built with IDE AHCI Emulation support, allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (instance crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via an invalid AHCI Native Command Queuing (NCQ) AIO command.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1568?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Qemu Qemu, Redhat Openstack, Redhat Virtualization.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-1568?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-1568 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1568 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-2016-1568 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-1568 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 8 Apr 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1568 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-2016-1568/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1568/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1568
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1568
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1568

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1568/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.