Description

A security flaw has been discovered in GNU Binutils 2.47. This affects the function _bfd_elf_eh_frame_section_offset of the file bfd/elf-eh-frame.c of the component Eh Frame Handler. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. The attack must be initiated from a local position. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. The project was informed of the problem early through a bug report but has not responded yet.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "3.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-15T09:16:44.760Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-15T09:16:44.760Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the Eh Frame Handler component of GNU Binutils version 2.47. The flaw resides specifically within the _bfd_elf_eh_frame_section_offset function in the file bfd/elf-eh-frame.c.\nThis vulnerability is triggered when the application processes a maliciously crafted input, leading to an immediate crash due to an attempt to access memory at a null address. The exploitation is restricted to a local attack vector, requiring the attacker to have local access to execute the vulnerable binary or utility against a specially prepared file.\nThe primary impact of successful exploitation is a denial-of-service (DoS) condition, as the null pointer dereference results in the termination of the process. While public exploits are available, the lack of a vendor response to the initial bug report indicates a lingering risk for users of this specific version. Given the local nature of the attack, the overall risk is categorized as moderate, primarily affecting systems where untrusted binaries or object files are processed by GNU Binutils tools.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is localized to the _bfd_elf_eh_frame_section_offset function within bfd/elf-eh-frame.c, which is responsible for calculating offsets within the exception handling (.eh_frame) section of Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) files. The flaw originates from insufficient validation of internal state pointers or auxiliary structure references during the parsing of these frames.\nThe attack flow commences when a user invokes a GNU Binutils tool—such as objdump, readelf, or ld—to analyze or link a specially crafted ELF file. The input file contains metadata or structure definitions within the .eh_frame section designed to cause the _bfd_elf_eh_frame_section_offset function to assume a pointer has been initialized when it has not. When the logic proceeds to dereference this uninitialized or improperly resolved pointer, the CPU triggers a segmentation fault, resulting in the abnormal termination of the program.\nBecause the vulnerability occurs during the processing of structural data within an ELF object, the exploitation method relies on supplying a file with malformed EH frame information that bypasses initial checks. The lack of proper null-checking mechanisms before dereferencing the pointer in bfd/elf-eh-frame.c allows the attacker to force the control flow into a state where a zero-address access is inevitable. This does not necessarily grant arbitrary code execution but effectively compromises the stability and availability of the system processing the file.\nThe requirement for a local position implies that an attacker must be able to convince a local user or automated system process to execute a command on the malicious file. Post-exploitation, the primary impact is a persistent Denial of Service (DoS). The absence of a vendor-supplied patch means that standard update cycles may not yet resolve this specific instance. Analysts and developers should monitor for future releases of GNU Binutils or downstream distribution updates that address these specific logic errors in the ELF processing subsystem."
}