# CVE-2016-2204: Command injection in n/a

> Local attackers can gain root access on Symantec Messaging Gateway appliances by injecting commands into the management console terminal.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mc6m-525w-93h4

## What is CVE-2016-2204?

CVE-2016-2204 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Apr 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The management console on Symantec Messaging Gateway (SMG) Appliance devices before 10.6.1 allows local users to obtain root-shell access via crafted terminal-window input.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-2204?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Messaging Gateway.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-2204?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-2204 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-2204 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2204 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-6326](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6326/): Code injection in Messaging Gateway (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2018-12242](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12242/): Auth bypass in Symantec Messaging Gateway (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-12243](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12243/): XML external entity in Symantec Messaging Gateway (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2012-3579](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3579/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (high 7.9)
- [CVE-2016-2203](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2203/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-2204 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-2204 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 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-2016-2204 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-2016-2204/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2204/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2204
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2204
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2204

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2204/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.