# CVE-2016-5028: Null dereference in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service via a crafted object file with empty bss-like sections in the libdwarf library.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Feb 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-5028, GHSA-gx4v-h6f2-c9q3, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-5028

## What is CVE-2016-5028?

CVE-2016-5028 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Feb 2017. 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 print_frame_inst_bytes function in libdwarf before 20160923 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via an object file with empty bss-like sections.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5028?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Libdwarf Project Libdwarf.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5028?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-5028 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5028 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-9052](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9052/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-9054](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9054/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-9055](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9055/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-9558](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9558/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-9053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9053/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5028 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5028 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Feb 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5028 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2016-5028/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5028/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5028
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5028
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5028

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5028/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.