# CVE-2016-7408: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on systems using the Dropbear SSH client by providing crafted command-line arguments.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-7408, GHSA-2qq2-3mq9-pfmj, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-7408

## What is CVE-2016-7408?

CVE-2016-7408 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Mar 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The dbclient in Dropbear SSH before 2016.74 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) -m or (2) -c argument.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-7408?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-7408?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-7408 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7408 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2016-7406](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7406/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7407](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7407/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-36254](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36254/): Path traversal in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2007-1099](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-1099/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2004-2486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2486/): Use after free in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-7408 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-7408 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Mar 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7408 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2016-7408/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7408/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7408
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7408
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-7408

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7408/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.