Facebook HHVM up to 3.14.x compact recursion

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.4$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Facebook HHVM up to 3.14.x and classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function of the component compact. Performing a manipulation results in recursion. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2016-6873. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. No exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Facebook HHVM up to 3.14.x (Social Network Software). It has been classified as problematic. This affects an unknown part of the component compact. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a recursion vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-674. The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

Self recursion in compact in Facebook HHVM before 3.15.0 allows attackers to have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.

The bug was discovered 08/11/2016. The weakness was disclosed 02/17/2017 (oss-sec). It is possible to read the advisory at openwall.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2016-6873 since 08/18/2016. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1499 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 190 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $0-$5k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 264256 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-6873), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 3.15.0 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (264256). The entries VDB-97104, VDB-97105, VDB-97106 and VDB-97108 are pretty similar. Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.6
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.4

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 9.8
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: Recursion
CWE: CWE-674 / CWE-404
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: 264256
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-6873

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Facebook HHVM 3.15.0

Timelineinfo

08/11/2016 🔍
08/18/2016 +7 days 🔍
02/17/2017 +183 days 🔍
02/17/2017 +0 days 🔍
02/18/2017 +1 days 🔍
09/13/2025 +3129 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: openwall.com
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-6873 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-6873
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-97107
OSVDB: - CVE-2016-6873 - Facebook - HHVM - Self Recursion Issue

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 02/18/2017 08:59
Updated: 09/13/2025 22:48
Changes: 02/18/2017 08:59 (60), 08/15/2020 18:41 (2), 09/13/2025 22:48 (21)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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