---
title: "CVE-2016-9428\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-2016-9428?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-9428

Publication date 11 December 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**8.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-9428?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in the Tatsuya Kinoshita w3m fork before 0.5.3-31.
Heap-based buffer overflow in the addMultirowsForm function in w3m allows
remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute
arbitrary code via a crafted HTML page.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-9428?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| w3m | 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 0.5.3-26ubuntu0.1 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 0.5.3-15ubuntu0.1 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 0.5.3-5ubuntu1.2 |

---

* [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-2016-9428?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

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

same fix/workaround as for CVE-2016-9425

### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| w3m | * Debian:   [4e46481](https://github.com/tats/w3m/commit/4e464819dd360ffd3d58fa2a89216fe413cfcc74) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

8.8 · High

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 8.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-9428)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9428)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-9428)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-9428)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3214-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3214-1)
+ w3m vulnerabilities
+ 2 March 2017

### Other references

* <https://github.com/tats/w3m/issues/26>
* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/18/3>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9428>
