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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-3616 Canonical CVE debrief

CVE-2016-3616 is a high-severity vulnerability in the cjpeg utility associated with libjpeg/libjpeg-turbo. NVD describes remote attackers being able to trigger a NULL pointer dereference and application crash, and potentially execute arbitrary code, by supplying a crafted file. The published CVSS v3.0 vector indicates network reachability but also user interaction is required, so the practical risk is highest in workflows that accept untrusted image files.

Vendor
Canonical
Product
Unknown
CVSS
HIGH 8.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-13
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-13
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

System administrators and package maintainers for Linux distributions that ship libjpeg-turbo/cjpeg, plus teams that ingest, convert, or reprocess user-supplied images. This is especially relevant for servers and desktop applications that automatically process uploaded or opened image files.

Technical summary

NVD maps the issue to CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference) and rates it CVSS 3.0 8.8 HIGH (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The record lists affected CPEs for libjpeg-turbo 7.4 and multiple distribution package contexts, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4, Debian 8.0, and Ubuntu LTS/ESM releases. The reference set includes Red Hat, Debian LTS, and Ubuntu advisories, which indicates downstream vendors issued package-specific fixes.

Defensive priority

High. The vulnerability can lead to a crash and, in the worst case, code execution when a crafted file is processed. Because user interaction is required, prioritize systems that accept untrusted files, automated image conversion services, and exposed endpoints that invoke cjpeg indirectly.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Review whether cjpeg or libjpeg-turbo is installed on affected hosts and whether any applications invoke it on untrusted input.
  • Apply the vendor/package updates referenced by Red Hat, Debian LTS, and Ubuntu advisories for your distribution.
  • Restrict or sandbox image conversion workflows that process user-supplied files.
  • Treat image uploads and conversion jobs as untrusted input; add validation, size limits, and isolation around processing pipelines.
  • Verify package provenance and track distro-specific security notices rather than relying only on the upstream component name.

Evidence notes

The debrief is based on the supplied NVD record and linked official/vendor references. NVD lists the vulnerability as modified on 2026-05-13, published on 2017-02-13, and classifies it as CVSS 3.0 8.8 HIGH with AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. The record identifies CWE-476 and includes references to Red Hat RHSA-2019:2052, Debian LTS, and Ubuntu USN advisories, plus NVD CPEs for libjpeg-turbo and multiple Linux distributions.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2016-3616 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-3616

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2016-3616 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3616

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.