What is CVE-2016-7916?

CVE-2016-7916 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, classified as a Race Condition flaw (CWE-362). CVE-2016-7916 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2016-7916?

CVE-2016-7916 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity. The vector string is CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.

Is there a patch available for CVE-2016-7916?

Monitor the NIST NVD and your Linux distribution's security advisories for CVE-2016-7916 patch availability.

Is CVE-2016-7916 actively exploited?

CVE-2016-7916 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is Race Condition (CWE-362)?

The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. See MITRE CWE for full details: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/362.html

CVE-2016-7916

Medium

Race condition in the environ_read function in fs/proc/base.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.4 allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel memory by reading a /proc/*/environ file during a process-setup time interval in which environment-variable copying is incomplete.

Package Linux Kernel

Published 2016-11-16

Last modified 2026-05-06

CVSS version 3.0

Patch available

Awaiting data

CVSS 3.0 score

5.5

out of 10

Medium

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Required

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

None

Vector string

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Weakness type

CWE-362

CVE-2016-7916 is a Race Condition vulnerability

What is Race Condition?

The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. Learn more on MITRE CWE

References

9 total

Kernel.org
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.4

Release Notes Vendor Advisory
Kernel Git
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8148a73c9901a8794a50f950083c00ccf97d43b3

Issue Tracking Patch Third Party Advisory
GitHub
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8148a73c9901a8794a50f950083c00ccf97d43b3

Issue Tracking Patch Third Party Advisory
Source
http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html

Third Party Advisory
Securityfocus
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94138

Third Party Advisory VDB Entry

Showing 5 of 9 references View all on NVD

Details

CVE ID CVE-2016-7916

Severity Medium

CVSS score 5.5 / 10

CVSS version 3.0

Published 2016-11-16

Modified 2026-05-06

KEV No

Patch Awaiting data

Package linux

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-7916?

CVE-2016-7916 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a Race Condition flaw (CWE-362) . CVE-2016-7916 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2016-7916?

CVE-2016-7916 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.0). The vector string is CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
Is there a patch available for CVE-2016-7916?

Monitor the NIST NVD and your Linux distribution's security advisories for CVE-2016-7916 patch availability.
Is CVE-2016-7916 actively exploited?

No. CVE-2016-7916 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.