CVE-2016-7167: Multiple integer overflows in the (1) curl_escape, (2) curl_easy_escape, (3) curl_unescape, and (4) curl_ea...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This issue affects libcurl before 7.50.3. Certain URL escaping and unescaping functions can miscalculate extremely large string lengths, causing a heap buffer overflow. The public record does not define the final impact, but memory corruption in a widely embedded library can matter where attacker-controlled input reaches these functions. Exposure is most likely in systems or applications using vulnerable libcurl builds before 7.50.3, including distribution-packaged curl/libcurl. Risk depends on whether attacker-controlled data can reach the affected escape or unescape APIs. Treat this as a patching hygiene issue for a foundational library, not an emergency based on current evidence. Prioritize affected internet-facing and untrusted-input paths, especially where old operating system images or containers remain in use. Mitigation focus: Upgrade curl/libcurl to vendor-fixed packages addressing CVE-2016-7167.; Use vendor backported fixes where distribution versions remain below 7.50.3.; Prioritize internet-facing services that process untrusted URL or string data..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 13:39 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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