# CVE-2020-16040 — Google Chrome

> As of 2024-08-04, CVE-2020-16040 is a MEDIUM-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome, CVSS v3.1 6.5, EPSS 99.5% (99.9th percentile). Threadlinqs Intelligence links 1 tracked threat campaign to CVE-2020-16040, most recently “PeckBirdy JScript C2 Framework Hides China-Aligned APT Infrastructure Inside a Casino-Site Network (CVE-2020-16040)”.

**Last updated:** 2024-08-04

## What is CVE-2020-16040?

Insufficient data validation in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 87.0.4280.88 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.

The record classifies CVE-2020-16040 under weakness classes [CWE-20](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-20), [CWE-190](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-190), [CWE-787](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-787). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs a user to take an action first, and has high impact on availability. 1 affected-product entry is recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 2096 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 6.5 — MEDIUM (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 99.5% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 9.2/10 — a Threadlinqs composite of the CVSS base score, the EPSS percentile and public exploit availability
- **Published:** 2021-01-08, last modified 2024-08-04

## Is CVE-2020-16040 being exploited?

Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2020-16040 is publicly available. 1 public proof-of-concept repository is tracked for this identifier.

- [trickest/cve](https://github.com/trickest/cve/blob/main/2020/CVE-2020-16040.md) (trickest)

## Affected products and versions

- [Google](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/vendors/google): Chrome

## How to fix CVE-2020-16040

The record marks a vendor fix as available for CVE-2020-16040. Patch reference: [https://crbug.com/1150649](https://crbug.com/1150649). Vendor advisory: [https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2020/12/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html](https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2020/12/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html). Apply the vendor fix referenced above to every affected product listed in this record, then confirm the running version against the vendor advisory.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2020-16040

1 tracked threat in the Threadlinqs corpus references CVE-2020-16040, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [PeckBirdy JScript C2 Framework Hides China-Aligned APT Infrastructure Inside a Casino-Site Network (CVE-2020-16040)](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-2527) — HIGH · 2026-09-15

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, NVD, FIRST EPSS, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-09-18. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

**Other references**

- [chromereleases.googleblog.com](https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2020/12/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html)
- [crbug.com](https://crbug.com/1150649)
- [packetstormsecurity.com](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162087/Google-Chrome-86.0.4240-V8-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [packetstormsecurity.com (Google Chrome 86.0.4240 V8 Remote Code E)](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162106/Google-Chrome-86.0.4240-V8-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [packetstormsecurity.com (Google Chrome SimplfiedLowering Integer )](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162144/Google-Chrome-SimplfiedLowering-Integer-Overflow.html)

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2020-16040
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2020-16040 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp