# CVE-2016-8863: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a crash or execute arbitrary code via a malformed SUBSCRIBE request in the Portable UPnP SDK.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/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:** 7 Mar 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DLA-747-1, DLA-748-1, GHSA-4cjm-5fqc-2f6p, MGASA-2017-0002, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-8863

## What is CVE-2016-8863?

CVE-2016-8863 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Mar 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the create_url_list function in gena/gena_device.c in Portable UPnP SDK (aka libupnp) before 1.6.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a valid URI followed by an invalid one in the CALLBACK header of an SUBSCRIBE request.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-8863?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Libupnp Project Libupnp.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-8863?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-8863 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-8863 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CTFs are fun, but what about exploiting a real bug? (github_poc): https://github.com/mephi42/CVE-2016-8863

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-8863 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-8863 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Mar 2017. 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-2016-8863 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2016-8863/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8863/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-8863
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-8863
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-8863

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8863/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.