Skip to content
Noroxi

CWE-416 · 9,429 records

Use after free

Why does it happen?

After a memory region is freed, another reference pointing to it is still used. By then, the same region may have been allocated for different data.

How to prevent it

  1. 01Set the freed pointer to NULL immediately.
  2. 02Use reference counting and locks for shared objects.
  3. 03Test with memory error detectors (sanitizers).

Vulnerable and fixed code

A representative teaching example. Highlighted lines mark where the bug and the fix are.

Vulnerable

c
free(dev->buf);/* ... another thread is still running ... */process(dev->buf);

Fixed

c
lock(&dev->lock);free(dev->buf);dev->buf = NULL;unlock(&dev->lock);

Is this pattern in your code?

We look for this class specifically as part of our Source code review service. Findings are delivered with line numbers.

Source code reviewRequest a quote

CVEs in this class

9,432 records

  • CVE-2019-0708
    99Now

    A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Remote Desktop Services formerly known as Terminal Services when an unauthenticated attacker

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 99%

    microsoft · windows 7May 16, 2019

  • CVE-2021-31166
    99Now

    HTTP Protocol Stack Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 99%

    microsoft · windows 10 2004May 11, 2021

  • CVE-2015-5119
    99Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the ByteArray class in the ActionScript 3 (AS3) implementation in Adobe Flash Player 13.x through 13.0.0.296

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 98%

    adobe · flash playerJul 8, 2015

  • CVE-2015-0313
    98Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.269 and 14.x through 16.x before 16.0.0.305 on Windows and OS X and before

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 95%

    adobe · flash playerFeb 2, 2015

  • CVE-2026-109618
    96Now

    RCE via OOM corruption

    CriticalCVSS 9.2KEVWeaponizedEPSS 99%

    php · phpOct 21, 2026

  • CVE-2026-109619
    96Now

    RCE via stale global state

    CriticalCVSS 9.2KEVWeaponizedEPSS 99%

    php · phpOct 21, 2026

  • CVE-2015-5122
    95Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the DisplayObject class in the ActionScript 3 (AS3) implementation in Adobe Flash Player 13.x through 13.0.0

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 87%

    adobe · flash playerJul 14, 2015

  • CVE-2020-3992
    94Now

    OpenSLP as used in VMware ESXi (7.0 before ESXi_7.0.1-0.0.16850804, 6.7 before ESXi670-202010401-SG, 6.5 before ESXi650-202010401-SG) has a

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 83%

    vmware · cloud foundationOct 20, 2020

  • CVE-2014-1776
    94Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial

    CriticalCVSS 9.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 82%

    microsoft · internet explorerApr 27, 2014

  • CVE-2010-0249
    93Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 6 SP1, 7, and 8 on Windows 2000 SP4; Windows XP SP2 and SP3; Windows Server 2

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 91%

    microsoft · internet explorerJan 15, 2010

  • CVE-2010-3962
    91Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7, and 8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors relate

    HighCVSS 8.1KEVWeaponizedEPSS 96%

    microsoft · internet explorerNov 5, 2010

  • CVE-2013-3893
    91Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the SetMouseCapture implementation in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote a

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 87%

    microsoft · internet explorerSep 18, 2013

  • CVE-2014-0322
    91Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 85%

    microsoft · internet explorerFeb 14, 2014

  • CVE-2021-26411
    90Now

    Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 81%

    microsoft · edgeMar 11, 2021

  • CVE-2012-4792
    89Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 78%

    microsoft · internet explorerDec 30, 2012

  • CVE-2018-4878
    88Now

    A use-after-free vulnerability was discovered in Adobe Flash Player before 28.0.0.161.

    HighCVSS 7.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 90%

    adobe · flash playerFeb 6, 2018

  • CVE-2018-15982
    88Now

    Flash Player versions 31.0.0.153 and earlier, and 31.0.0.108 and earlier have a use after free vulnerability.

    HighCVSS 7.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 89%

    adobe · flash playerJan 18, 2019

  • CVE-2013-1347
    88Now

    Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 does not properly handle objects in memory, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by accessi

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 77%

    microsoft · internet explorerMay 5, 2013

  • CVE-2013-3897
    88Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the CDisplayPointer class in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 77%

    microsoft · internet explorerOct 9, 2013

  • CVE-2013-2551
    87Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web

    HighCVSS 8.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 74%

    microsoft · internet explorerMar 11, 2013

  • CVE-2016-9079
    86Now

    A use-after-free vulnerability in SVG Animation has been discovered.

    HighCVSS 7.5KEVWeaponizedEPSS 87%

    debian · debian linuxJun 11, 2018

  • CVE-2020-0674
    86Now

    A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer, aka 'Scrip

    HighCVSS 7.5KEVWeaponizedEPSS 86%

    microsoft · internet explorerFeb 11, 2020

  • CVE-2021-40449
    86Now

    Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

    HighCVSS 7.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 81%

    microsoft · windows 10 1507Oct 12, 2021

  • CVE-2009-4324
    86Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the Doc.media.newPlayer method in Multimedia.api in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3, and 8.x before

    HighCVSS 7.8KEVWeaponizedEPSS 81%

    adobe · acrobatDec 14, 2009

  • CVE-2012-4969
    86Now

    Use-after-free vulnerability in the CMshtmlEd::Exec function in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 9 allows remote attacker

    HighCVSS 8.1KEVWeaponizedEPSS 80%

    microsoft · internet explorerSep 18, 2012

All vulnerability classes