Apple Mac OS X up to 10.11.3 libxml2 memory corruption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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8.8$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Apple Mac OS X up to 10.11.3. The affected element is an unknown function of the component libxml2. The manipulation leads to memory corruption. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2016-1762. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, has been found in Apple Mac OS X up to 10.11.3 (Operating System). This issue affects some unknown functionality of the component libxml2. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The xmlNextChar function in libxml2 before 2.9.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read) via a crafted XML document.

The weakness was released 03/21/2016 with Apple as HT206167 as confirmed advisory (Website). The advisory is shared at support.apple.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2016-1762 since 01/12/2016. The attack may be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/18/2025). The advisory points out:

Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed through improved memory handling.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 90309 (Apple TV < 9.2 Multiple Vulnerabilities), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Misc. and running in the context r. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 350852 (Amazon Linux Security Advisory for libxml2: ALAS-2016-719).

Upgrading to version 10.11.4 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (90309) and SecurityFocus (BID 85059†). Entries connected to this vulnerability are available at VDB-80766, VDB-81414, VDB-81420 and VDB-81423. If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 9.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.8

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 8.1
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory corruption
CWE: CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 90309
Nessus Name: Apple TV < 9.2 Multiple Vulnerabilities
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 14611
OpenVAS Name: Amazon Linux Local Check: alas-2016-719
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Mac OS X 10.11.4
Patch: git.gnome.org

Timelineinfo

01/12/2016 🔍
03/20/2016 +68 days 🔍
03/21/2016 +0 days 🔍
03/21/2016 +0 days 🔍
03/23/2016 +2 days 🔍
03/23/2016 +0 days 🔍
04/01/2016 +8 days 🔍
12/18/2025 +3548 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: HT206167
Organization: Apple
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2016-1762 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-1762
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-81461

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 85059 - libxml2 CVE-2016-1762 Multiple Memory Corruption Vulnerabilities
SecurityTracker: 1035353

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20150108
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 03/23/2016 12:11
Updated: 12/18/2025 00:05
Changes: 03/23/2016 12:11 (59), 09/09/2018 11:27 (24), 07/11/2022 08:57 (4), 12/18/2025 00:05 (26)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:F4A:103

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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