HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-4439
MEDIUM

CVE-2016-4439

CWE-119Published: May 20, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

6.7
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

The esp_reg_write function in hw/scsi/esp.c in the 53C9X Fast SCSI Controller (FSC) support in QEMU does not properly check command buffer length, which allows local guest OS administrators to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write and QEMU process crash) or potentially execute arbitrary code on the QEMU host via unspecified vectors.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-4439 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.7.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.High
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
qemu1 product(s)
qemu
Source: NVD CPE · 5 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (16)

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/19/3Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90760Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337502Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2016-05/msg03273.htmlMailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/19/3Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/90760Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337502Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2016-05/msg03273.htmlMailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-4439
CVSS Score6.7 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-119
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedMay 20, 2016

Related CVEs (CWE-119)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2016-4439 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.