CVE-2016-5417
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in...
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
7.5
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
CVE-2016-5417- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-399
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
CVE-2016-5417- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-6362 No score
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
EUVD-2016-6362- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qqpx-rhfx-8mgf
7.5
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in...
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
GHSA-qqpx-rhfx-8mgf- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.5
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
CVE-2016-5417- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-5417
7.5
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-5417- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-5417
7.5
Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-5417- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2017-0091 No score
Updated glibc packages fix security vulnerability
Florian Weimer discovered a NULL pointer dereference in the DNS resolver of the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service (CVE-2015-5180).
Tim Ruehsen discovered that the getaddrinfo() implementation in the GNU C Library did not properly track memory allocations. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service (CVE-2016-5417).
- Record
MGASA-2017-0091- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:10154-1 No score
glibc-2.24-2.3 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the glibc-2.24-2.3 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:10154-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUSN-3239-1 No score
eglibc, glibc vulnerabilities
It was discovered that the GNU C Library incorrectly handled the strxfrm() function. An attacker could use this issue to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. (CVE-2015-8982)
It was discovered that an integer overflow existed in the _IO_wstr_overflow() function of the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. (CVE-2015-8983)
It was discovered that the fnmatch() function in the GNU C Library did not properly handle certain malformed patterns. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. (CVE-2015-8984)
Alexander Cherepanov discovered a stack-based buffer overflow in the glob implementation of the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to specially craft a directory layout and cause a denial of service. (CVE-2016-1234)
Florian Weimer discovered a NULL pointer dereference in the DNS resolver of the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2015-5180)
Michael Petlan discovered an unbounded stack allocation in the getaddrinfo() function of the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2016-3706)
Aldy Hernandez discovered an unbounded stack allocation in the sunrpc implementation in the GNU C Library. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2016-4429)
Tim Ruehsen discovered that the getaddrinfo() implementation in the GNU C Library did not properly track memory allocations. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. (CVE-2016-5417)
Andreas Schwab discovered that the GNU C Library on ARM 32-bit platforms did not properly set up execution contexts. An attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2016-6323)
- Record
USN-3239-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
glibcDebian:12 |
before 2.22-4 | 2.22-4 |
glibcDebian:13 |
before 2.22-4 | 2.22-4 |
glibcDebian:14 |
before 2.22-4 | 2.22-4 |
glibcMageia:5 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 2.20-24.mga5 | 2.20-24.mga5 |
glibcUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
before 2.23-0ubuntu6, plus listed versions 2.21-0ubuntu42.21-0ubuntu52.21-0ubuntu62.23-0ubuntu12.23-0ubuntu22.23-0ubuntu32.23-0ubuntu42.23-0ubuntu5 |
2.23-0ubuntu6 |
eglibcUbuntu:14.04:LTS From an advisory covering 9 CVEs |
before 2.19-0ubuntu6.10, plus listed versions 2.17-93ubuntu42.18-0ubuntu12.18-0ubuntu22.18-0ubuntu42.18-0ubuntu5 Show 15 moreShow less2.18-0ubuntu62.18-0ubuntu72.19-0ubuntu22.19-0ubuntu32.19-0ubuntu42.19-0ubuntu52.19-0ubuntu62.19-0ubuntu6.12.19-0ubuntu6.32.19-0ubuntu6.42.19-0ubuntu6.52.19-0ubuntu6.62.19-0ubuntu6.72.19-0ubuntu6.82.19-0ubuntu6.9 |
2.19-0ubuntu6.10 |
glibcUbuntu:16.04:LTS From an advisory covering 9 CVEs |
before 2.23-0ubuntu6, plus listed versions 2.21-0ubuntu42.21-0ubuntu52.21-0ubuntu62.23-0ubuntu12.23-0ubuntu22.23-0ubuntu32.23-0ubuntu42.23-0ubuntu5 |
2.23-0ubuntu6 |
glibcopenSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 31 CVEs |
before 2.24-2.3 | 2.24-2.3 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2016-5417 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Gnu Glibc, published February 16, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.36%, the 88th percentile. Fixed in glibc 2.22-4.
References
sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=19257
securityfocus.com/bid/92257
sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=glibc.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=2212c1420c92a33b0e0bd9a34938c9814a56c0f7
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/02/5
sourceware.org/ml/libc-alpha/2016-08/msg00212.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5417
Show 47 moreShow less
sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=glibc.git;a=commitdiff;h=2212c1420c92a33b0e0bd9a34938c9814a56c0f7
github.com/advisories/GHSA-qqpx-rhfx-8mgf
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-5417
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2017-0091.html
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=20552
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-5417
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-3239-1
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5417
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-5180
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8982
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8983
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8984
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1234
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-3706
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-4429
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-6323
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-5029
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-3406
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-4412
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-0242
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-1914
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-2207
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4237
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4332
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4458
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-7423
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-0475
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-4043
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-5119
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-6040
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-7817
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-8121
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-9402
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-9761
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-1472
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-1473
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-1781
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-7547
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8776
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8777
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8778
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8779
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-1234
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-3075
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-3706
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-4429
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-5417