CVE-2016-7937: The VAT parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-udp.c:vat_print().
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Plan (action score 40/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 3.1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 88.2% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: tcpdump (Alpine:v3.10) 4.9.0-r0; tcpdump (Debian:12) 4.9.0-1; tcpdump (Debian:7) 4.9.0-1~deb7u1.
Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to tcpdump (Alpine:v3.10) 4.9.0-r0; tcpdump (Debian:12) 4.9.0-1; tcpdump (Debian:7) 4.9.0-1~deb7u1 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
- Published
- Jan 27, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 3.1% · 88th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
Report tools
Action score
40
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 3.1%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| tcpdump | tcpdump | cpe:2.3:a:tcpdump:tcpdump |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- tcpdump tcpdumpup to 4.8.1 inclusive
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.10 | tcpdump | before 4.9.0-r0 | 4.9.0-r0 |
| Debian:12 | tcpdump | before 4.9.0-1 | 4.9.0-1 |
| Debian:7 | tcpdump | before 4.9.0-1~deb7u1 | 4.9.0-1~deb7u1 |
| Debian:8 | tcpdump | before 4.9.0-1~deb8u1 | 4.9.0-1~deb8u1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | tcpdump | before 4.99.1-1.2 | 4.99.1-1.2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | tcpdump | before 14:4.9.0-5.el7 | 14:4.9.0-5.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | tcpdump-debuginfo | before 14:4.9.0-5.el7 | 14:4.9.0-5.el7 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | tcpdump | before 3.9.8-1.29.1 | 3.9.8-1.29.1 |
Same product
tcpdump: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2007-3798Integer overflow in print-bgp.c in the BGP dissector in tcpdump 3.9.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via…60This week
- CVE-2017-11543tcpdump 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in the sliplink_print function in print-sl.c.41Plan
- CVE-2017-5484The ATM parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-atm.c:sig_print().41Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2016-7935Jan 27, 2017 · The RTP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-udp.c:rtp_print().40Plan
- ← EarlierCVE-2016-7936Jan 27, 2017 · The UDP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-udp.c:udp_print().40Plan
- Later →CVE-2016-7938Jan 27, 2017 · The ZeroMQ parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has an integer overflow in print-zeromq.c:zmtp1_print_frame().40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| alpine:tcpdump | 4.9.0-r0 · Alpine:v3.10 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:tcpdump | 4.9.0-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:tcpdump | 4.99.1-1.2 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:tcpdump | 14:4.9.0-5.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:tcpdump-debuginfo | 14:4.9.0-5.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:tcpdump | 3.9.8-1.29.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Overflow BuffersCAPEC-100likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer ManipulationCAPEC-123likelihood: High · Very High
- Client-side Injection-induced Buffer OverflowCAPEC-14likelihood: Medium · High
- Filter Failure through Buffer OverflowCAPEC-24likelihood: High · High
- MIME ConversionCAPEC-42likelihood: High · High
- Overflow Binary Resource FileCAPEC-44likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (5 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.