CVE-2016-5209 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Bad casting in bitmap manipulation in Blink in Google Chrome prior to 55.0.2883.75 for Mac, Windows and Linux, and 55.0.2883.84 for Android allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2016-5209 represents a critical heap corruption issue within the Blink rendering engine of Google Chrome, affecting multiple operating systems and platforms. This flaw manifests in the bitmap manipulation components where improper type casting occurs during image processing operations. The vulnerability exists in Chrome versions prior to 55.0.2883.75 for Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms, and 55.0.2883.84 for Android devices, making it a widespread concern across the Chrome ecosystem. The issue stems from inadequate validation and handling of bitmap data structures during HTML page rendering, creating a potential attack surface for remote exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a specific casting error within the bitmap processing pipeline that occurs when Chrome encounters crafted HTML content containing maliciously constructed image data. When the rendering engine processes these malformed bitmap structures, the improper casting operations lead to memory corruption patterns that can be exploited by remote attackers. This flaw falls under the CWE-121 CWE category for stack-based buffer overflow, though the actual implementation involves heap corruption mechanisms rather than traditional stack issues. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with memory safety issues that are commonly addressed through modern compiler protections and runtime safeguards.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users as it allows remote code execution through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. Attackers can craft HTML pages containing specially formatted bitmap data that, when rendered by Chrome, triggers the heap corruption sequence. The exploitation potential is particularly concerning given Chrome's widespread usage across all supported platforms, making this vulnerability effective against both desktop and mobile users. The attack vector operates entirely through standard web browsing activities, making it difficult for users to protect against through simple behavioral changes.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5209 primarily focus on immediate software updates to patched versions of Chrome, as the vulnerability is resolved through proper type casting implementations and enhanced memory validation. Organizations should prioritize deployment of Chrome versions 55.0.2883.75 or later for Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms, and 55.0.2883.84 or later for Android devices. Additionally, browser security enhancements including sandboxing mechanisms, address space layout randomization, and strict memory access controls provide additional protective layers. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions and browser hardening measures as supplementary defenses. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection strategies that address both browser-level and network-level security controls.