# CVE-2016-4472: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause crashes or execute arbitrary code via crafted XML due to compiler optimizations removing overflow protections in the Expat library.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Jun 2016
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2016-4472, DEBIAN-CVE-2016-4472, GHSA-855w-qg6f-ffh7, PSF-2016-6, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-4472

## What is CVE-2016-4472?

CVE-2016-4472 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 30 Jun 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The overflow protection in Expat is removed by compilers with certain optimization settings, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via crafted XML data.  NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2015-1283 and CVE-2015-2716.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4472?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Libexpat Project Libexpat, Mcafee Policy Auditor, Python Python.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4472?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-4472 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4472 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-2016-4472 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4472 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 30 Jun 2016. 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-2016-4472 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-2016-4472/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4472/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4472
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4472
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4472

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4472/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.