# CVE-2016-3168: Drupal Reflected file download vulnerability

> Remote attackers can hijack administrator authentication via reflected file downloads, potentially leading to account takeover and code execution in Drupal.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qqxc-cppg-4xp8, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-3168

## What is CVE-2016-3168?

CVE-2016-3168 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 12 Apr 2016. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The System module in Drupal 6.x before 6.38 and 7.x before 7.43 might allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of site administrators for requests that download and run files with arbitrary JSON-encoded content, aka a "reflected file download vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-254

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3168?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including drupal/core and drupal/drupal. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `drupal/core` | Packagist | From 6.0 | 6.38 |
| `drupal/core` | Packagist | From 6.0 | 6.38 |
| `drupal/core` | Packagist | From 7.0 | 7.43 |
| `drupal/core` | Packagist | From 7.0 | 7.43 |
| `drupal/drupal` | Packagist | From 6.0 | 6.38 |
| `drupal/drupal` | Packagist | From 6.0 | 6.38 |
| `drupal/drupal` | Packagist | From 7.0 | 7.43 |
| `drupal/drupal` | Packagist | From 7.0 | 7.43 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Drupal Drupal.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3168?

Upgrade drupal/core to a fixed version for your release line: 6.38 or 7.43.

## Is CVE-2016-3168 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3168 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-2016-3168 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3168 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 12 Apr 2016. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3168 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- drupal/core (Packagist): affected from 6.0; fixed in 6.38
- drupal/core (Packagist): affected from 6.0; fixed in 6.38
- drupal/core (Packagist): affected from 7.0; fixed in 7.43
- drupal/core (Packagist): affected from 7.0; fixed in 7.43
- drupal/drupal (Packagist): affected from 6.0; fixed in 6.38
- drupal/drupal (Packagist): affected from 6.0; fixed in 6.38
- drupal/drupal (Packagist): affected from 7.0; fixed in 7.43
- drupal/drupal (Packagist): affected from 7.0; fixed in 7.43

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-2016-3168/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3168/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3168
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3168
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3168

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3168/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.