# CVE-2016-7479: Use after free in PHP 7.x

> A use-after-free vulnerability in PHP 7's unserialization process allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.

- **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:** 12 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x9vm-7p3c-2c8q, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-7479

## What is CVE-2016-7479?

CVE-2016-7479 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Php Php, published on 12 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In all versions of PHP 7, during the unserialization process, resizing the 'properties' hash table of a serialized object may lead to use-after-free. A remote attacker may exploit this bug to gain arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-7479?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php Php.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-7479?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-7479 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7479 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Php Php

- [CVE-2012-2688](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2688/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2376/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3268/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-4143](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4143/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-5557](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5557/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-7479 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-7479 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Php Php, published on 12 Jan 2017. 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-2016-7479 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Php Php. 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-2016-7479/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7479/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7479
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7479
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-7479

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7479/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.