# CVE-2016-4591: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can access the local filesystem due to improper handling of location variables in WebKit, affecting iOS, Safari, and tvOS users.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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:** 22 Jul 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-4591, GHSA-528c-rrj8-7mch, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-4591

## What is CVE-2016-4591?

CVE-2016-4591 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apple Webkit, published on 22 Jul 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

WebKit in Apple iOS before 9.3.3, Safari before 9.1.2, and tvOS before 9.2.2 mishandles the location variable, which allows remote attackers to access the local filesystem via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4591?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apple Webkit.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4591?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-4591 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4591 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Webkit

- [CVE-2011-1290](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1290/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-1386](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1386/): Missing authorization in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-1760](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1760/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-0647](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0647/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2010-0659](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0659/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4591 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4591 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apple Webkit, published on 22 Jul 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-2016-4591 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apple Webkit. 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-2016-4591/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4591/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4591
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4591
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4591

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4591/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.