# CVE-2016-2378: Memory corruption in Pidgin

> A buffer overflow in Pidgin's MXIT protocol allows malicious servers or users to trigger memory corruption, potentially leading to code execution or crashes.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 6 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-2378, GHSA-crwf-mvg9-fxf3, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-2378

## What is CVE-2016-2378?

CVE-2016-2378 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the handling of the MXIT protocol Pidgin. Specially crafted data sent via the server could potentially result in a buffer overflow, potentially resulting in memory corruption. A malicious server or an unfiltered malicious user can send negative length values to trigger this vulnerability.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-2378?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Pidgin Pidgin.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-2378?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-2378 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2378 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-2016-2378 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-2378 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 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-2016-2378 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-2016-2378/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2378/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2378
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2378
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2378

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2378/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.