# CVE-2016-4748: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Local attackers can bypass Perl taint-mode protections in macOS via crafted environment variables, undermining security controls.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vv2x-p796-632v

## What is CVE-2016-4748?

CVE-2016-4748 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 25 Sep 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Perl in Apple OS X before 10.12 allows local users to bypass the taint-mode protection mechanism via a crafted environment variable.

Weakness: CWE-254

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4748?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apple Mac Os X.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4748?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-4748 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-4748 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4748 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Mac Os X

- [CVE-2014-7169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7169/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-6271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6271/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-1823](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1823/): PHP-CGI Query String Parameter (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-30713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-30713/): Apple macOS Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-8526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8526/): Apple macOS Use-After-Free (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4748 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4748 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 25 Sep 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4748 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apple Mac Os X. 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-2016-4748/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4748/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4748
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4748
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4748

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4748/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.