# CVE-2016-7257: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can read sensitive process memory via a crafted website due to a flaw in the Windows GDI component.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Dec 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p4w9-qqg4-c6m7

## What is CVE-2016-7257?

CVE-2016-7257 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 20 Dec 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The GDI component in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Office for Mac 2011, and Office 2016 for Mac allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory via a crafted web site, aka "GDI Information Disclosure Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-7257?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Microsoft Office for Mac, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-7257?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-7257 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-7257 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7257 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 7

- [CVE-2018-8176](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8176/): Code injection in Microsoft Office (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-8412](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8412/): Privilege escalation in Microsoft Office (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-7257 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-7257 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 20 Dec 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7257 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 7. 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-2016-7257/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7257/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7257
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7257
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-7257

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7257/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.