# CVE-2016-7461: Memory corruption in n/a

> Guest OS users can execute arbitrary code on the host or cause denial of service via the drag-and-drop function in VMware Workstation and Fusion.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 29 Dec 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9cw2-r87q-mc5v

## What is CVE-2016-7461?

CVE-2016-7461 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Vmware Fusion, published on 29 Dec 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The drag-and-drop (aka DnD) function in VMware Workstation Pro 12.x before 12.5.2 and VMware Workstation Player 12.x before 12.5.2 and VMware Fusion and Fusion Pro 8.x before 8.5.2 allows guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds memory access on the host OS) via unspecified vectors.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-7461?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Vmware Fusion, Vmware Fusion Pro, Vmware Workstation Player, Vmware Workstation Pro.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-7461?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-7461 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-7461 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Fusion

- [CVE-2020-3950](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3950/): VMware Multiple Products Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-4901](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-4901/): Memory corruption in Fusion Pro / Fusion (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2024-22267](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22267/): Use after free in VMware Fusion (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2019-5541](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5541/): Memory corruption in Workstation and Fusion (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2024-38811](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38811/): Code-execution vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-7461 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-7461 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Vmware Fusion, published on 29 Dec 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-2016-7461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Fusion. 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-2016-7461/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7461/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7461
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7461
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-7461

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7461/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.