# CVE-2016-4463: Stack-based buffer overflow in Apache Xerces-C++ before 3.1.4 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service via a deeply nested DTD. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 8 Jul 2016 - **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-4463, DLA-535-1, DSA-3610-1, ECHO-f4d7-963a-5485, GHSA-vw73-mc59-g9mx, RHSA-2018:3335, RHSA-2018:3506, RHSA-2018:3514, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-4463 ## What is CVE-2016-4463? CVE-2016-4463 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 8 Jul 2016. ### Official description Stack-based buffer overflow in Apache Xerces-C++ before 3.1.4 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service via a deeply nested DTD. Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4463? It affects 2 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:3.1.1-9.el7 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_4.1 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::computenode | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | | `xerces-c-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.5::server | All versions | 0:3.1.1-8.el7_5.1 | Products: Apache Xerces-C\+\+, Debian Debian Linux. ## How do I fix CVE-2016-4463? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2016-4463 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4463 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - Proof of concept for CVE-2016-4463 (github_poc): https://github.com/arntsonl/CVE-2016-4463 ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2017-12627](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12627/): Null dereference in Apache Xerces C++ (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2016-2099](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2099/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2023-37536](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37536/): HCL BigFix Platform is vulnerable to an integer overflow in xerces-c++ 3.2.3 (high 8.2) - [CVE-2024-23807](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23807/): Apache Xerces C++: Use-after-free on external DTD scan (high 8.1) - [CVE-2018-1311](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1311/): Use after free in Apache Xerces-C (high 8.1) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4463 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2016-4463 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 8 Jul 2016. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4463 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2016-4463/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4463/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4463 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4463 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4463 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4463/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.