CVE-2016-4472: The overflow protection in Expat is removed by compilers with certain optimization settings, which allows r...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2016-4472 affects Expat, a common XML parsing library. With some compiler optimization settings, intended overflow checks may be optimized away. An attacker sending crafted XML to software that uses a vulnerable build could crash the process or possibly achieve code execution. Exposure is most likely in services, applications, appliances, or operating system packages that parse untrusted XML using Expat, including bundled or statically linked copies. The provided data does not identify exact affected versions. Treat this as important where XML is internet-facing or business-critical. The possible impact includes service outage and potential code execution, but available source data lacks exact affected-version and exploitation evidence. Mitigation focus: Check vendor advisories for Expat updates and apply supported fixes.; Inventory applications and appliances that bundle or statically link Expat.; Prioritize systems that parse XML from external or unauthenticated sources..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 14:22 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.