CVE-2016-7420

Impact

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.

Affected products

Weakness classification

References

• NVD record
• CVE.org record
• 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/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.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/11/14/5
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92988
• https://github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/commit/553049ba297d89d9e8fbf2204acb40a8a53f5cd6
• https://github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/issues/277