CVE-2016-7420
Description
Crypto++ (aka cryptopp) through 5.6.4 does not document the requirement for a compile-time NDEBUG definition disabling the many assert calls that are unintended in production use, which might allow context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to process memory after an assertion failure, as demonstrated by reading a core dump.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
OS impact
| OS | Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| arch | fixed | 5.6.5-1 | |
| debian | bookworm | affected | |
| debian | bullseye | affected | |
| debian | forky | affected | |
| debian | sid | affected | |
| debian | trixie | affected | |
Application impact
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| cryptopp | crypto\+\+ | {"endIncluding":"5.6.4"} | |
References
- https://security.archlinux.org/ASA-201610-8
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/15/12
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/16/1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/28/2
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/28/4
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92988
- https://github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/commit/553049ba297d89d9e8fbf2204acb40a8a53f5cd6
- https://github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/issues/277
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/11/14/5
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-7420
CWEs
CWE-200
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.