# CVE-2016-2233: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote IRC servers can crash HexChat via a stack-based buffer overflow in CAP LS message handling.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-2233, GHSA-xgr5-8gm5-gj39, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-2233

## What is CVE-2016-2233?

CVE-2016-2233 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Stack-based buffer overflow in the inbound_cap_ls function in common/inbound.c in HexChat 2.10.2 allows remote IRC servers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a large number of options in a CAP LS message.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-2233?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hexchat Project Hexchat.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-2233?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-2233 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2233 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Hexchat IRC Client 2.11.0 - CAP LS Handling Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)
- This is an exploitation guide for CVE-2016-2233 (github_poc): https://github.com/fath0218/CVE-2016-2233

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2016-2087](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2087/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-2233 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-2233 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2233 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-2016-2233/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2233/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2233
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2233
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2233

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2233/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.