How severe is CVE-2016-10255?

CVE-2016-10255 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-10255 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (74th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-10255?

CVE-2016-10255 affects Elfutils Project Elfutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-10255?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2016-10255 published?

CVE-2016-10255 was published on 2017-03-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-10255

CVE-2016-10255 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Elfutils Project Elfutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-119.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (74th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Elfutils Project Elfutils
Published: 2017-03-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock function in elf_getdata.c in elfutils before 0.168 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted (1) sh_off or (2) sh_size ELF header value, which triggers a memory allocation failure.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-10255?: The __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock function in elf_getdata.c in elfutils before 0.168 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted (1) sh_off or (2) sh_size ELF header value, which triggers a memory allocation failure.
How severe is CVE-2016-10255?: CVE-2016-10255 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-10255 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (74th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-10255?: CVE-2016-10255 affects Elfutils Project Elfutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-10255?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-10255 published?: CVE-2016-10255 was published on 2017-03-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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