# CVE-2016-4323: Path traversal in Pidgin

> A malicious server or network attacker can overwrite files via directory traversal in Pidgin's MXIT protocol handling.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-4323, GHSA-7w5x-jm9f-8g7x, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-4323

## What is CVE-2016-4323?

CVE-2016-4323 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A directory traversal exists in the handling of the MXIT protocol in Pidgin. Specially crafted MXIT data sent from the server could potentially result in an overwrite of files. A malicious server or someone with access to the network traffic can provide an invalid filename for a splash image triggering the vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4323?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Pidgin Pidgin.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4323?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-4323 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4323 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4323 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4323 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4323 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2016-4323/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4323/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4323
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4323
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4323

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4323/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.