CVE-2016-1646 — Google Chromium V8 Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability
The Array.prototype.concat implementation in builtins.cc in Google V8, as used in Google Chrome before 49.0.2623.108, does not properly consider element data types, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JavaScript code.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- EPSS 48.1% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — codereview.chromium.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: Jun 22, 2022 — passed 1576 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Google Chrome…).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- EPSS ahead of 99% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | Ubuntu Linux | version 14.04version 15.10version 16.04 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 8.0version 9.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Chrome | < 49.0.2623.108 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database | |
| Opensuse | Leap | version 42.1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Opensuse | Opensuse | version 13.1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Red Hat | Enterprise Linux Desktop | version 6.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Red Hat | Enterprise Linux Eus | version 6.7 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Red Hat | Enterprise Linux Server | version 6.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Red Hat | Enterprise Linux Workstation | version 6.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| SUSE | Package Hub | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 2.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 2.8 | 5.9 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.0 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 9.3 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 8.6 | 10.0 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 48.11%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Jun 8, 2022 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · debian/debian linux, canonical/ubuntu linux, google/chrome, suse/package hub, opensuse/leap, opensuse/opensuse, redhat/e
- CVSS changed · 8.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2022
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- 2016
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
15 on the record
- googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2016/03/stable-channel-update_24.html
- codereview.chromium.org/1804963002/
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-04/msg00001.html
- www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3531
- codereview.chromium.org/1804963002
- code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0525.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-93cg-vfx4-pxr4
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2955-1
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-04/msg00000.html
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1035423
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201605-02
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-04/msg00039.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1646
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-110172 Use after free in Media in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote attacker to... 1d
- Medium CVE-2026-110170 Use after free in Bindings in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote attacker to... 1d
- High CVE-2026-110171 Use after free in Media in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote attacker to... 1d
- High CVE-2026-110166 Buffer overflow in Animation in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote attacker to... 1d
- High CVE-2026-110164 Use after free in DOM in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote attacker to... 1d
- Critical CVE-2026-110165 Use after free in Core in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 155.0.8059.79 allowed a remote... 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2016-1646 is "Google Chromium V8 Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability", rated High. It affects Ubuntu Linux (Canonical); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 8.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 48.11% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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