How severe is CVE-2016-3119?

CVE-2016-3119 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-3119 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 40% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-3119?

CVE-2016-3119 primarily affects Mit Kerberos 5. In total, 76 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-3119?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2016-3119 published?

CVE-2016-3119 was published on 2016-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-3119

CVE-2016-3119 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mit Kerberos 5 with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 40% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 3.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 40% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Mit Kerberos 5
Published: 2016-03-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The process_db_args function in plugins/kdb/ldap/libkdb_ldap/ldap_principal2.c in the LDAP KDB module in kadmind in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) through 1.13.4 and 1.14.x through 1.14.1 mishandles the DB argument, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and daemon crash) via a crafted request to modify a principal.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-3119?: The process_db_args function in plugins/kdb/ldap/libkdb_ldap/ldap_principal2.c in the LDAP KDB module in kadmind in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) through 1.13.4 and 1.14.x through 1.14.1 mishandles the DB argument, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and daemon crash) via a crafted request to modify a principal.
How severe is CVE-2016-3119?: CVE-2016-3119 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-3119 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 40% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-3119?: CVE-2016-3119 primarily affects Mit Kerberos 5. In total, 76 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-3119?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-3119 published?: CVE-2016-3119 was published on 2016-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (76)

cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:42.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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