CVE-2016-7936: The UDP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-udp.c:udp_print().

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2016-7936 is a buffer overflow in tcpdump’s UDP packet parser before version 4.9.0. Tcpdump is commonly used for network troubleshooting and monitoring. The main business risk is disruption or memory corruption when a vulnerable tcpdump instance processes crafted UDP traffic or packet captures. Exposure is most likely on systems running tcpdump before 4.9.0, especially network sensors, troubleshooting hosts, and systems that analyze untrusted packet captures. Tcpdump is usually not an internet-facing service, so exploitation depends on packet processing context. Treat as a routine but important patch for monitoring and administration systems. Prioritize environments where tcpdump processes untrusted traffic continuously or runs with elevated privileges. Mitigation focus: Upgrade tcpdump to 4.9.0 or a vendor-fixed package.; Apply relevant Debian, Red Hat, or Gentoo security updates where applicable.; Avoid processing untrusted packet captures with vulnerable tcpdump versions..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 09:18 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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