# CVE-2016-3861: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via a crafted file due to a heap-based buffer overflow in Android's LibUtils.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-3861, GHSA-42m2-m4h3-qr94, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-3861

## What is CVE-2016-3861?

CVE-2016-3861 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Google Android, published on 11 Sep 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

LibUtils in Android 4.x before 4.4.4, 5.0.x before 5.0.2, 5.1.x before 5.1.1, 6.x before 2016-09-01, and 7.0 before 2016-09-01 mishandles conversions between Unicode character encodings with different encoding widths, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) via a crafted file, aka internal bug 29250543.

Weakness: CWE-264, CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3861?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3861?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-3861 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-3861 exists.

Public exploit code:

- my extended take on Mark Brand's CVE 2016-3861 libutils bug (github_poc): https://github.com/kswzzl/CVE-2016-3861
- Google Android - libutils UTF16 to UTF8 Conversion Heap Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Android

- [CVE-2026-58704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58704/): Google Pixel Improper Authorization (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48543/): Android Runtime Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-35674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35674/): Android Framework Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48595](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48595/): Android Framework Integer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-32896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32896/): Android Pixel Privilege Escalation (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3861 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3861 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Google Android, published on 11 Sep 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-2016-3861 exists.

Affected product: Google Android. 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-2016-3861/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3861/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3861
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3861
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3861

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3861/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.