# CVE-2016-3209: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass ASLR protection via TrueType font parsing, facilitating further exploitation of Windows and Office applications.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Oct 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xgx5-xw2j-vm46

## What is CVE-2016-3209?

CVE-2016-3209 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft .Net Framework, published on 14 Oct 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Graphics Device Interface (aka GDI or GDI+) in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2; Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1; Windows 7 SP1; Windows 8.1; Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2; Windows RT 8.1; Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607; Office 2007 SP3; Office 2010 SP2; Word Viewer; Skype for Business 2016; Lync 2013 SP1; Lync 2010; Lync 2010 Attendee; Live Meeting 2007 Console; .NET Framework 3.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4.5.2, and 4.6; and Silverlight 5 allows remote attackers to bypass the ASLR protection mechanism via unspecified vectors, aka "True Type Font Parsing Information Disclosure Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3209?

It affects 14 products.


Products: Microsoft .Net Framework, Microsoft Live Meeting, Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft Skype for Business, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Word Viewer.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3209?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-3209 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-3209 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-3209 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows - 'win32k.sys' TTF Processing RCVT TrueType Instruction Handler Out-of-Bounds Read (MS16-120) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft .Net Framework

- [CVE-2020-0646](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0646/): Microsoft .NET Framework Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-8759](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8759/): Microsoft .NET Framework Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-1671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1671/): Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-29059](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-29059/): Microsoft .NET Framework Information Disclosure (high 7.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-4073](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4073/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3209 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3209 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft .Net Framework, published on 14 Oct 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-3209 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft .Net Framework. 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-2016-3209/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3209/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3209
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3209
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3209

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3209/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.