# CVE-2016-3235: Microsoft Office OLE DLL Side Loading

> Local attackers can gain privileges by exploiting a DLL side-loading vulnerability in Microsoft Visio and Visio Viewer applications.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **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:** 16 Jun 2016
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-75wh-cm5h-4j85

## What is CVE-2016-3235?

CVE-2016-3235 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Visio, published on 16 Jun 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

Microsoft Visio 2007 SP3, Visio 2010 SP2, Visio 2013 SP1, Visio 2016, Visio Viewer 2007 SP3, and Visio Viewer 2010 mishandle library loading, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Microsoft Office OLE DLL Side Loading Vulnerability."

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3235?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Visio Viewer.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3235?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-3235 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2016-3235 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-3235 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Office - OLE Multiple DLL Side Loading Vulnerabilities (MS15-132/MS16-014/MS16-025/MS16-041/MS16-070) (Metasploit) (exploitdb)
- Office OLE Multiple DLL Side Loading Vulnerabilities (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Visio

- [CVE-2015-2557](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2557/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-1888](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1888/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-1972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1972/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-1979](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1979/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-0092](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-0092/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3235 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3235 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Visio, published on 16 Jun 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: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-3235 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Microsoft Visio. 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-2016-3235/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3235/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3235
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3235
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3235

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3235/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.