MEDIUM
CVE-2016-7166
CWE-399Published: September 21, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
libarchive before 3.2.0 does not limit the number of recursive decompressions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and application crash) via a crafted gzip file.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-7166 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
libarchive1 product(s)
libarchive
Oracle1 product(s)
linux
Red Hat7 product(s)
enterprise linux desktopenterprise linux hpc nodeenterprise linux hpc node eusenterprise linux serverenterprise linux server ausenterprise linux server eusenterprise linux workstation
Source: NVD CPE · 14 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
All References (22)
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1844.htmlThird Party Advisory
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1850.htmlThird Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/08/15Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/08/18Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92901Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=207362Issue Tracking
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1347086Issue Tracking
→
https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/commit/6e06b1c89dd0d16f74894eac4cfc1327a06ee4a0Issue Tracking · Patch
→
https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/issues/660Issue Tracking · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1844.htmlThird Party Advisory
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1850.htmlThird Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/08/15Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/08/18Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-7166
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-399
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedSep 21, 2016
Related CVEs (CWE-399)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-7166 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.