# CVE-2016-1646: Google Chromium V8 Out-of-Bounds Read

> Remote attackers can cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted JavaScript due to improper type handling in V8.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 8 Jun 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Mar 2016
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-93cg-vfx4-pxr4, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-1646

## What is CVE-2016-1646?

CVE-2016-1646 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 29 Mar 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Array.prototype.concat implementation in builtins.cc in Google V8, as used in Google Chrome before 49.0.2623.108, does not properly consider element data types, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JavaScript code.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1646?

It affects 10 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Google Chrome, Opensuse Leap, Opensuse Opensuse, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Suse Package Hub.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-1646?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 22 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2016-1646 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-1646 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1646 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-1646 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 29 Mar 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-1646 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1646/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1646/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1646
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1646
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1646

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1646/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.