# CVE-2016-5142: Use after free in n/a

> Remote attackers can trigger a use-after-free in Chrome's WebCrypto API via crafted JavaScript, causing denial of service or potential code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g54g-mw8m-9fqx, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-5142

## What is CVE-2016-5142?

CVE-2016-5142 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Google Chrome, published on 7 Aug 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Web Cryptography API (aka WebCrypto) implementation in Blink, as used in Google Chrome before 52.0.2743.116, does not properly copy data buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JavaScript code, related to NormalizeAlgorithm.cpp and SubtleCrypto.cpp.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5142?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Chrome.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5142?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-5142 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5142 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Chrome

- [CVE-2022-4135](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4135/): Google Chromium GPU Heap Buffer Overflow (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-16017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16017/): Google Chrome Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-16010](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16010/): Google Chrome for Android UI Heap Buffer Overflow (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-87491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87491/): Google Chromium V8 Out of Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-85046](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85046/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5142 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5142 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Google Chrome, published on 7 Aug 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5142 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google Chrome. 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-2016-5142/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5142/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5142
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5142
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5142

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5142/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.