---
title: "CVE-2016-7968\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-2016-7968?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-7968

Publication date 23 December 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.5 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-7968?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

KMail since version 5.3.0 used a QWebEngine based viewer that had
JavaScript enabled. HTML Mail contents were not sanitized for JavaScript
and included code was executed.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-7968?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| kdepim | 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |
| kf5-messagelib | 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |

---

* [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-2016-7968?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

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

need QT 5.7 to disable entirely, partial sanitization commits
are linked off of the kde advisory

---

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

5.3.0 and over

---

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

tsimonq2 says that kmail in kdepim Zesty and older is not affected

---

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

kmail did not use QWebSettings through zesty

### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| kf5-messagelib | * Upstream:   [?id=f60](https://cgit.kde.org/messagelib.git/commit/?id=f601f9ffb706f7d3a5893b04f067a1f75da62c99) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

6.5 · Medium

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 6.5 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-7968)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7968)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-7968)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-7968)

### Other references

* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/05/1>
* <https://www.kde.org/info/security/advisory-20161006-3.txt>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7968>