How severe is CVE-2016-6291?

CVE-2016-6291 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-6291 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (92nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-6291?

CVE-2016-6291 primarily affects Php. In total, 40 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-6291?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-6291 published?

CVE-2016-6291 was published on 2016-07-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-6291

CVE-2016-6291 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Php with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-119.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 6% (92nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Php
Published: 2016-07-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The exif_process_IFD_in_MAKERNOTE function in ext/exif/exif.c in PHP before 5.5.38, 5.6.x before 5.6.24, and 7.x before 7.0.9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds array access and memory corruption), obtain sensitive information from process memory, or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted JPEG image.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-6291?: The exif_process_IFD_in_MAKERNOTE function in ext/exif/exif.c in PHP before 5.5.38, 5.6.x before 5.6.24, and 7.x before 7.0.9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds array access and memory corruption), obtain sensitive information from process memory, or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted JPEG image.
How severe is CVE-2016-6291?: CVE-2016-6291 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-6291 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (92nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-6291?: CVE-2016-6291 primarily affects Php. In total, 40 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-6291?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-6291 published?: CVE-2016-6291 was published on 2016-07-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (40)

cpe:2.3:a:php:php:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:beta4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:php:php:7.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Browse all CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

45.84.120.3 (ipv4-addr)
79.137.34.248 (ipv4-addr)
221.161.235.168 (ipv4-addr)
200.196.50.91 (ipv4-addr)
187.51.208.158 (ipv4-addr)
187.141.71.166 (ipv4-addr)
187.110.238.50 (ipv4-addr)
113.164.66.10 (ipv4-addr)