# CVE-2016-3977: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service via a crafted GIF file exploiting a heap-based buffer overflow in the giflib library.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 21 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2016-3977, DEBIAN-CVE-2016-3977, GHSA-f9f6-3pmf-963r, MGASA-2016-0399, SUSE-SU-2016:1139-1, SUSE-SU-2016:1140-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-3977

## What is CVE-2016-3977?

CVE-2016-3977 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Opensuse Opensuse, published on 21 Apr 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

Heap-based buffer overflow in util/gif2rgb.c in gif2rgb in giflib 5.1.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via the background color index in a GIF file.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3977?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 4.1.6-21.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 4.1.6-21.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 4.1.6-21.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |
| `giflib` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP1 | All versions | 5.0.5-12.1 |

Products: Giflib Project Giflib, Opensuse Opensuse.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3977?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-3977 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3977 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Opensuse Opensuse

- [CVE-2016-3177](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3177/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-40633](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40633/): Denial of service in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-11489](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11489/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-26740](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26740/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2023-48161](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48161/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-3977 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3977 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Opensuse Opensuse, published on 21 Apr 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3977 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Opensuse Opensuse. 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-2016-3977/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3977/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3977
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3977
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3977

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3977/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.