HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-2373
MEDIUM

CVE-2016-2373

CWE-125Published: January 6, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.9
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A denial of service vulnerability exists in the handling of the MXIT protocol in Pidgin. Specially crafted MXIT data sent via the server could potentially result in an out-of-bounds read. A malicious server or user can send an invalid mood to trigger this vulnerability.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-2373 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.9.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
pidgin1 product(s)
pidgin
Source: NVD CPE · 5 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttp://www.pidgin.im/news/security/?id=106
PATCHhttp://www.pidgin.im/news/security/?id=106
ADVISORYhttp://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3620
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91335
ADVISORYhttp://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0141/
ADVISORYhttp://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3031-1
ADVISORYhttp://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3620
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91335
ADVISORYhttp://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0141/
ADVISORYhttp://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3031-1

All References (12)

→
http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3620Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.pidgin.im/news/security/?id=106Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91335Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0141/Technical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3031-1Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-38
→
http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3620Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.pidgin.im/news/security/?id=106Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91335Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0141/Technical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3031-1Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-38

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-2373
CVSS Score5.9 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-125
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 6, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-125)

CVE-2021-41556
10.0
CVE-2013-0767
10.0
CVE-2021-21777
10.0
CVE-2017-14451
10.0
CVE-2009-2523
10.0
CVE-2026-34987
9.9

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-2373 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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