# CVE-2016-9079: Mozilla Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird Use-After-Free > A use-after-free flaw in SVG Animation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted web content, affecting Firefox and Thunderbird users. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 22 Jun 2023 (CISA KEV) - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 11 Jun 2018 - **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-9079, DSA-3728-1, GHSA-cmgc-v5fc-wx68, MGASA-2016-0410, RHSA-2016:2843, RHSA-2016:2850, SUSE-SU-2016:3048-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-9079 ## What is CVE-2016-9079? CVE-2016-9079 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description A use-after-free vulnerability in SVG Animation has been discovered. An exploit built on this vulnerability has been discovered in the wild targeting Firefox and Tor Browser users on Windows. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 50.0.2, Firefox ESR < 45.5.1, and Thunderbird < 45.5.1. Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-9079? It affects 10 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el6_8 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `firefox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `firefox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el7_3 | | `thunderbird` | Red Hat:rhel_productivity:5 | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `thunderbird-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_productivity:5 | All versions | 0:45.5.1-1.el5_11 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1 | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP2 | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1 | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12-LTSS | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | | `MozillaFirefox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for Raspberry Pi 12 SP2 | All versions | 45.5.1esr-93.1 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Torproject Tor. ## How do I fix CVE-2016-9079? Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 13 Jul 2023. ## Is CVE-2016-9079 being exploited? Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-9079 in the wild since at least 22 Jun 2023. Public exploit code: - A demo exploit of CVE-2016-9079 on Ubuntu x64 (github_poc): https://github.com/dangokyo/CVE-2016-9079 - CVE-2016-9079 exploit code as it appeared on https://lists.torproject.org/pipermail/tor-talk/2016-November/042639.html (github_poc): https://github.com/LakshmiDesai/CVE-2016-9079 - Educational standalone JavaScript implementation of the public exploit for CVE-2016-9079 (Firefox Use-After-Free), adapted from the original Exploit-DB/Metasploit module. (github_poc): https://github.com/soham23/firefox-rce-nssmil - https://github.com/Tau-hub/Firefox-CVE-2016-9079 (github_poc): https://github.com/Tau-hub/Firefox-CVE-2016-9079 - Firefox nsSMILTimeContainer::NotifyTimeChange() RCE (metasploit) - Mozilla Firefox < 50.0.2 - 'nsSMILTimeContainer::NotifyTimeChange()' Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb) ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2016-9079 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2016-9079 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-9079 in the wild since at least 22 Jun 2023. Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2016-9079/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9079/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9079 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9079 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-9079 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9079/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.