CVE-2016-5211 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
A use after free in PDFium 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 PDF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5211 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within PDFium, the PDF rendering engine employed by Google Chrome across multiple platforms. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 55.0.2883.75 for Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, and prior to 55.0.2883.84 for Android devices, creating a significant attack surface for remote adversaries. The flaw stems from improper memory management during PDF document processing, specifically when handling certain malformed or crafted PDF files that trigger memory deallocation followed by subsequent access to freed memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free conditions as a fundamental memory safety issue that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious PDF file is processed by Chrome's PDFium engine, causing the application to free memory associated with specific PDF objects while simultaneously allowing the code to continue referencing those freed memory locations. The heap corruption resulting from this improper memory management creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Chrome process. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflow conditions that can be leveraged to bypass modern exploit mitigations such as address space layout randomization and data execution protection. Attackers can craft PDF documents containing specially constructed objects that trigger the memory corruption when parsed by the vulnerable PDFium component, making this a remote code execution vulnerability that requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious document.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-5211 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with the capability to perform remote code execution on affected systems, potentially leading to full system compromise. This vulnerability affects a broad range of users since Chrome is widely deployed across desktop and mobile platforms, making the attack vector particularly dangerous in enterprise and consumer environments. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can deliver malicious PDF files through various channels including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites without requiring local system access. Security researchers have noted that such use-after-free vulnerabilities often serve as primary attack vectors in advanced persistent threat campaigns, as they can be reliably exploited across different platforms and operating systems. The vulnerability's classification aligns with attack techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 category for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to establish persistent access through the execution of malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5211 primarily focus on immediate patching of affected Chrome versions, with users urged to upgrade to versions 55.0.2883.75 or later for desktop platforms and 55.0.2883.84 for Android devices. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly, as the vulnerability affects multiple operating systems and device types. Additional defensive measures include deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious PDF content, implementing browser sandboxing mechanisms, and utilizing security software that can detect and block suspicious PDF file behaviors. Network administrators should consider restricting PDF file downloads and implementing strict content filtering policies to reduce exposure risk. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and proper memory management practices in software development, particularly for components handling untrusted input data such as PDF documents. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed incident response procedures to address successful exploitation attempts.