CVE-2016-7420
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG...
CVE-2016-7420 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.9) in Cryptopp Crypto\+\+, published September 16, 2016. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.99%, the 80th percentile. Fixed in libcryptopp 5.6.3-1.2.mga5.
- Severity
- 5.9 MediumCVSS 3.0, NVD
- Exploit chance
- 1.99%EPSS, 80th percentile
- Exploitation
- None knownNot on CISA’s or ENISA’s lists
- Fixed in
5.6.3-1.2.mga5libcryptopp +6 more
Description
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
libcrypto++Debian:12 | All versions, plus listed versions 8.7.0+git220824-18.8.0-18.8.0-28.9.0-18.9.0-1.18.9.0-1.1~exp18.9.0-28.9.0-3 | None known |
libcrypto++Debian:13 | All versions, plus listed versions 8.9.0-28.9.0-3 | None known |
libcrypto++Debian:14 | All versions, plus listed versions 8.9.0-28.9.0-3 | None known |
libcryptoppMageia:5 | before 5.6.3-1.2.mga5 | 5.6.3-1.2.mga5 |
libcrypto++Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS | All versions, plus listed versions 5.6.1-65.6.1-6+deb8u1build0.14.04.15.6.1-6+deb8u3build0.14.04.15.6.1-6+deb8u3ubuntu0.1~esm1 | None known |
libcrypto++Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS | All versions, plus listed versions 5.6.1-85.6.1-95.6.1-9ubuntu0.15.6.1-9ubuntu0.1+esm1 | None known |
libcrypto++Ubuntu:18.04:LTS | All versions, plus listed versions 5.6.4-8 | None known |
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
CVE-2016-7420- CVSS 3.0
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE ListNo score
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
CVE-2016-7420- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-8273No score
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
EUVD-2016-8273- Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-xh64-jjg2-744m
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG...
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
GHSA-xh64-jjg2-744m- CVSS 3.0
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
CVE-2016-7420- CVSS 3.0
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-7420
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-7420- CVSS 3.0
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-7420
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-7420- CVSS 3.0
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2016-0333No score
Updated libcryptopp packages fix security vulnerability
The libcryptopp package was built with debugging enabled, which could cause a crash due to assertions being turned on and could also cause core files to be generated containing sensitive information (CVE-2016-7420).
- Record
MGASA-2016-0333- Updated
- 2026-11-02
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
References
github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/commit/553049ba297d89d9e8fbf2204acb40a8a53f5cd6
securityfocus.com/bid/92988
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/16/1
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nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7420
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-7420
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2016-0333.html
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19381
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-7420
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7420