CVE-2016-3715
CVE-2016-3715 is a security flaw in ImageMagick, software for processing images, built into many websites. Attackers are using a flaw in ImageMagick that its maker hasn't described in detail. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021.[1]
ImageMagick is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. ImageMagick has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an arbitrary file deletion in ImageMagick ImageMagick. In its words: “ImageMagick contains an unspecified vulnerability that could allow users to delete files by using ImageMagick's 'ephemeral' pseudo protocol, which deletes files after reading.”[1]
The underlying weakness is improper access control (CWE-284), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 5.5 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it medium, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; ImageMagick’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as ImageMagick ImageMagick.
Most families won’t have ImageMagick; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 2,008 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 75%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
ImageMagick has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.ImageMagick is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 5.5.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 75%.[4] |
See also
Other ImageMagick flaws
- CVE-2016-3714: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2016-3718: server-side request forgery (SSRF) ·
Other improper access control flaws
- CVE-2015-3306, ProFTPD: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-21962, Oracle HTTP Server and Oracle Weblogic Server Proxy Plug-in: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-56290, Joomlack Page Builder: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-34908, Ubiquiti UniFi OS: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-48907, Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor: improper access control ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
- CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·
Every ImageMagick flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “ImageMagick Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2016-3715 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 5 May 2016.
- ^ ImageMagick. Advisories and fixes: imagemagick.org.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.753, percentile 99.5, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2016-3715”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.