---
title: "CVE-2016-1283\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1283?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-1283

Publication date 2 January 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**9.8 · Critical**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1283?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

The pcre\_compile2 function in pcre\_compile.c in PCRE 8.38 mishandles the
/((?:F?+(?:^(?(R)a+\"){99}-))(?J)(?'R'(?'R'<((?'RR'(?'R'\){97)?J)?J)(?'R'(?'R'\){99|(:(?|(?'R')(\k'R')|((?'R')))H'R'R)(H'R))))))/
pattern and related patterns with named subgroups, which allows remote
attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) or
possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted regular expression, as
demonstrated by a JavaScript RegExp object encountered by Konqueror.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1283?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| pcre2 | 18.10 cosmic | Not affected |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Ignored end of life |
| 17.04 zesty | Ignored end of life |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 15.04 vivid | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| pcre3 | 18.10 cosmic | Not affected |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Fixed 2:8.35-7.1ubuntu1.3 |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1283?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

introduced in 8.34

---

### [ebarretto](https://launchpad.net/~ebarretto)

pcre2 not affected as vulnerable code is not present

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| pcre3 | * Upstream:   <http://vcs.pcre.org/pcre?view=revision&revision=1636> |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

9.8 · Critical

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 9.8 · Critical |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-1283)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1283)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-1283)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-1283)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-2943-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2943-1)
+ PCRE vulnerabilities
+ 29 March 2016

### Other references

* <https://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1767>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1283>