How severe is CVE-2016-5253?

CVE-2016-5253 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2016-5253 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (16th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-5253?

CVE-2016-5253 affects Mozilla Firefox. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-5253?

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

When was CVE-2016-5253 published?

CVE-2016-5253 was published on 2016-08-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-5253

CVE-2016-5253 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.7. 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-264.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.7)
CVSS v2: 4.7
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (16th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-264
Affected product: Mozilla Firefox
Published: 2016-08-05
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Updater in Mozilla Firefox before 48.0 on Windows allows local users to write to arbitrary files via vectors involving the callback application-path parameter and a hard link.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-5253?: The Updater in Mozilla Firefox before 48.0 on Windows allows local users to write to arbitrary files via vectors involving the callback application-path parameter and a hard link.
How severe is CVE-2016-5253?: CVE-2016-5253 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2016-5253 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (16th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-5253?: CVE-2016-5253 affects Mozilla Firefox. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-5253?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-5253 published?: CVE-2016-5253 was published on 2016-08-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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