# CVE-2016-3990: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause a crash via a crafted TIFF image processed by the LibTIFF library.

- **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:** 21 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-3990, GHSA-7r33-ggq9-wqpm, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-3990

## What is CVE-2016-3990?

CVE-2016-3990 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libtiff Libtiff, published on 21 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

Heap-based buffer overflow in the horizontalDifference8 function in tif_pixarlog.c in LibTIFF 4.0.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted TIFF image to tiffcp.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-3990?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Libtiff Libtiff, Oracle Vm Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-3990?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-3990 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3990 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-2016-3990 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-3990 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libtiff Libtiff, published on 21 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-3990 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-2016-3990/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3990/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3990
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3990
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-3990

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3990/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.