CVE-2016-5180
Heap-based buffer overflow in the ares_create_query function in c-ares 1.x before 1.12.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a hostname with an escaped trailing dot.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (8.58%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
Heap-based buffer overflow in the ares_create_query function in c-ares 1.x before 1.12.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a hostname with an escaped trailing dot.
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 8.58% probability · 95th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-787
- Affected
- c-ares/c-ares · c-ares project/c-ares · debian/debian linux · nodejs/node.js · canonical/ubuntu linux
- Source
- chrome-cve-admin@google.com
EPSS 8.6% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0002.html
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3682
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93243
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3143-1
- https://c-ares.haxx.se/CVE-2016-5180.patch
- https://c-ares.haxx.se/adv_20160929.html
- https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.in/2016/09/stable-channel-updates-for-chrome-os.html
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-28
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2017-01-01.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0002.html
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3682
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93243
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3143-1
- https://c-ares.haxx.se/CVE-2016-5180.patch
- https://c-ares.haxx.se/adv_20160929.html
- https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.in/2016/09/stable-channel-updates-for-chrome-os.html
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-28
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2017-01-01.html
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.