CVE-2016-6662: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-76m2-pqh7-www3
CVSS 9.8
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-6662 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) security vulnerability vulnerability (General Security Weakness) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2016-6662 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-6662
GHSA Identifier GHSA-76m2-pqh7-www3
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification General Security Weakness
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2016-6662

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2016-6662, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under General Security Weakness. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Oracle MySQL through 5.5.52, 5.6.x through 5.6.33, and 5.7.x through 5.7.15; MariaDB before 5.5.51, 10.0.x before 10.0.27, and 10.1.x before 10.1.17; and Percona Server before 5.5.51-38.1, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-78.0, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-7 allow local users to create arbitrary configurations and bypass certain protection mechanisms by setting general_log_file to a my.cnf configuration. NOTE: this can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with root privileges by setting malloc_lib. NOTE: the affected MySQL version information is from Oracle's October 2016 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that the issue was silently patched in MySQL 5.5.52, 5.6.33, and 5.7.15.

References

NVD — CVE-2016-6662 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6662
jira.mariadb.org/browse/mdev-10465 WEB
https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-10465
mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/maria... WEB
https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-10027-release-notes
mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/maria... WEB
https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-10117-release-notes
mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/maria... WEB
https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-5551-release-notes
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-01
www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40360 WEB
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40360
www.percona.com/blog/2016/09/12/per... WEB
https://www.percona.com/blog/2016/09/12/percona-server-critical-update-cve-2016-6662
legalhackers.com/advisories/mysql-ex... WEB
http://legalhackers.com/advisories/MySQL-Exploit-Remote-Root-Code-Execution-Privesc-CVE-2016-6662.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2058.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2059.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2060.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2061.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2062.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-20... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2077.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-21... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2130.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-21... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2131.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-25... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2595.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-27... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2749.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-29... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2927.html
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2016-29... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2928.html
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92912
rhn.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2017-01... WEB
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0184.html
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Sep/23
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3666
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/12/3
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036769

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-6662?
CVE-2016-6662 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under General Security Weakness.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2016-6662?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-6662?
CVE-2016-6662 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-6662?
CVE-2016-6662 is classified under General Security Weakness.
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2016-6662?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-76m2-pqh7-www3",
  "modified" : "2025-04-12T13:04:23Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-13T01:07:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-6662" ],
  "details" : "Oracle MySQL through 5.5.52, 5.6.x through 5.6.33, and 5.7.x through 5.7.15; MariaDB before 5.5.51, 10.0.x before 10.0.27, and 10.1.x before 10.1.17; and Percona Server before 5.5.51-38.1, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-78.0, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-7 allow local users to create arbitrary configurations and bypass certain protection mechanisms by setting general_log_file to a my.cnf configuration. NOTE: this can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with root privileges by setting malloc_lib. NOTE: the affected MySQL version information is from Oracle's October 2016 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that the issue was silently patched in MySQL 5.5.52, 5.6.33, and 5.7.15.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6662"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-10465"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-10027-release-notes"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-10117-release-notes"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-5551-release-notes"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-01"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40360"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.percona.com/blog/2016/09/12/percona-server-critical-update-cve-2016-6662"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://legalhackers.com/advisories/MySQL-Exploit-Remote-Root-Code-Execution-Privesc-CVE-2016-6662.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2058.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2059.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2060.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2061.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2062.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2077.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2130.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2131.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2595.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2749.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2927.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2928.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0184.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Sep/23"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3666"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/12/3"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92912"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036769"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2016-09-20T18:59:00Z"
  }
}