# CVE-2016-3621: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service via buffer over-read in LibTIFF's bmp2tiff tool when processing crafted BMP images with LZW compression.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Oct 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2016-3621, DEBIAN-CVE-2016-3621, GHSA-h34f-8p6m-3w66, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-3621

## What is CVE-2016-3621?

CVE-2016-3621 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libtiff Libtiff, published on 3 Oct 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The LZWEncode function in tif_lzw.c in the bmp2tiff tool in LibTIFF 4.0.6 and earlier, when the "-c lzw" option is used, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer over-read) via a crafted BMP image.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3621?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Libtiff Libtiff.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3621?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-3621 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3621 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Libtiff Libtiff

- [CVE-2004-1308](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1308/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0929](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0929/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-61144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-61144/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-9533](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9533/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-9534](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9534/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3621 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3621 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libtiff Libtiff, published on 3 Oct 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3621 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Libtiff Libtiff. 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-2016-3621/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3621/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3621
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3621
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3621

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3621/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.