# CVE-2016-5688: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can trigger heap-based buffer overflows or invalid writes in ImageMagick's WPG parser when a memory limit is set, potentially leading to code execution or crashes.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** 13 Dec 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2016-5688, DEBIAN-CVE-2016-5688, GHSA-2hhc-539m-8qw5, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-5688

## What is CVE-2016-5688?

CVE-2016-5688 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Imagemagick Imagemagick, published on 13 Dec 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The WPG parser in ImageMagick before 6.9.4-4 and 7.x before 7.0.1-5, when a memory limit is set, allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via vectors related to the SetImageExtent return-value check, which trigger (1) a heap-based buffer overflow in the SetPixelIndex function or an invalid write operation in the (2) ScaleCharToQuantum or (3) SetPixelIndex functions.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5688?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Imagemagick Imagemagick, Oracle Solaris.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5688?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-5688 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5688 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Imagemagick Imagemagick

- [CVE-2019-19952](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19952/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-16328](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16328/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-16329](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16329/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-18210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18210/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-14138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14138/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5688 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5688 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Imagemagick Imagemagick, published on 13 Dec 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-2016-5688 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Imagemagick Imagemagick. 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-2016-5688/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5688/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5688
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5688
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5688

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5688/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.