Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2016-1839

The xmlDictAddString function in libxml2 before 2.9.4, as used in Apple iOS before 9.3.2, OS X before 10.11.5, tvOS before 9.2.1, and watchOS before 2.2.1, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read) via a crafted XML document.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity though user interaction is required and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 14 products from apple, from apple, from apple and 11 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

First disclosed in 2016, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.

Published

2016-05-20T10:59:53.190

Last Modified

2025-04-12T10:46:40.837

Status

Deferred

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.0: 5.5 (MEDIUM)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: MEDIUM
Authentication: NONE
Confidentiality Impact: NONE
Integrity Impact: NONE
Availability Impact: PARTIAL

Exploitability Score

8.6

Impact Score

2.9

Weaknesses

Type: Primary
CWE-125

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Operating System	apple	iphone_os	< 9.3.2	Yes
Operating System	apple	mac_os_x	< 10.11.5	Yes
Operating System	apple	tvos	< 9.2.1	Yes
Operating System	apple	watchos	< 2.2.1	Yes
Operating System	canonical	ubuntu_linux	12.04	Yes
Operating System	canonical	ubuntu_linux	14.04	Yes
Operating System	canonical	ubuntu_linux	15.10	Yes
Operating System	canonical	ubuntu_linux	16.04	Yes
Operating System	debian	debian_linux	8.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_desktop	6.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_desktop	7.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server	6.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server	7.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_aus	7.2	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_aus	7.3	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_aus	7.4	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_aus	7.6	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_eus	7.2	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_eus	7.3	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_eus	7.4	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_eus	7.5	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_eus	7.6	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_tus	7.2	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_tus	7.3	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_server_tus	7.6	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_workstation	6.0	Yes
Operating System	redhat	enterprise_linux_workstation	7.0	Yes
Application	mcafee	web_gateway	≤ 7.5.2.10	Yes
Application	mcafee	web_gateway	≤ 7.6.2.3	Yes
Application	xmlsoft	libxml2	< 2.9.4	Yes

References

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00001.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00002.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00003.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00004.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2957.html Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjul2016-3090544.html Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90691 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035890 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038623 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2994-1 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://xmlsoft.org/news.html Release Notes, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:1292 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=758605 Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://git.gnome.org/browse/libxml2/commit/?id=a820dbeac29d330bae4be05d9ecd939ad6b4aa33 Patch, Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10170 Patch, Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-37 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://support.apple.com/HT206564 Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://support.apple.com/HT206566 Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://support.apple.com/HT206567 Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://support.apple.com/HT206568 Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3593 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2016-18 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00001.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00002.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00003.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/May/msg00004.html Mailing List, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2957.html Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjul2016-3090544.html Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90691 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035890 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038623 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2994-1 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://xmlsoft.org/news.html Release Notes, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:1292 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=758605 Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://git.gnome.org/browse/libxml2/commit/?id=a820dbeac29d330bae4be05d9ecd939ad6b4aa33 Patch, Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10170 Patch, Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-37 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://support.apple.com/HT206564 Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://support.apple.com/HT206566 Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://support.apple.com/HT206567 Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://support.apple.com/HT206568 Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3593 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2016-18 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For apple's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.