Google Chrome up to 55 PDFium use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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6.7$5k-$25k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Google Chrome up to 55. This affects an unknown part of the component PDFium. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability was named CVE-2016-5216. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Google Chrome up to 55 (Web Browser). This affects some unknown processing of the component PDFium. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

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 perform an out of bounds memory read via a crafted PDF file.

The bug was discovered 12/01/2016. The weakness was presented 01/19/2017 by Abdulrahman Alqabandi (xisigr) with Qihoo 360 (Website). The advisory is shared at securityfocus.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2016-5216 since 05/31/2016. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 05/14/2026). It is expected to see the exploit prices for this product increasing in the near future.

The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 4 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 95546 (FreeBSD : chromium -- multiple vulnerabilities (603fe0a1-bb26-11e6-8e5a-3065ec8fd3ec)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family FreeBSD Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 370249 (Google Chrome Prior to 55.0.2883.75 Multiple Vulnerabilities).

Upgrading to version 55.0.2883.75 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published before and not just after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (95546) and SecurityFocus (BID 94633†). See VDB-95480, VDB-95481, VDB-95482 and VDB-95483 for similar entries. If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.7

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 7.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 6.3
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 95546
Nessus Name: FreeBSD : chromium -- multiple vulnerabilities (603fe0a1-bb26-11e6-8e5a-3065ec8fd3ec)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 900236
OpenVAS Name: SuSE Update for Chromium openSUSE-SU-2016:3108-1 (Chromium)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Chrome 55.0.2883.75

Timelineinfo

05/31/2016 🔍
12/01/2016 +184 days 🔍
12/01/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/05/2016 +4 days 🔍
12/06/2016 +1 days 🔍
01/19/2017 +44 days 🔍
01/19/2017 +0 days 🔍
01/19/2017 +0 days 🔍
05/14/2026 +3402 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: google.com
Product: google.com

Advisory: RHSA-2016:2919⛔
Researcher: Abdulrahman Alqabandi (xisigr)
Organization: Qihoo 360
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-5216 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-5216
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-95493

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 94633 - Google Chrome Prior to 55.0.2883.75 Multiple Security Vulnerabilities
OSVDB: - CVE-2016-5216 - Google - Chrome - Use-After-Free Issue

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 01/19/2017 09:42
Updated: 05/14/2026 03:03
Changes: 01/19/2017 09:42 (77), 07/24/2020 16:11 (10), 11/01/2022 12:54 (3), 05/14/2026 03:03 (17)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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