# CVE-2016-1947: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass Application Reputation checks to trigger unintended downloads in Mozilla Firefox.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **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:** 31 Jan 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gfv8-8p3g-4px7, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-1947

## What is CVE-2016-1947?

CVE-2016-1947 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 31 Jan 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

Mozilla Firefox 43.x mishandles attempts to connect to the Application Reputation service, which makes it easier for remote attackers to trigger an unintended download by leveraging the absence of reputation data.

Weakness: CWE-19

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1947?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Opensuse Leap, Opensuse Opensuse.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-1947?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-1947 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1947 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1947 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-1947 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 31 Jan 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-2016-1947 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu 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-2016-1947/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1947/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1947
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1947
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1947

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1947/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.