Binutils
CVE-2017-12457
HIGH
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A10:2025 - Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions
ASVS 5.0
V16 - Security Logging and Error Handling Null pointer safety, defensive checks
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Impact The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.31%. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A local attacker with access to the system could crash the application by dereferencing a null pointer. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. |
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Alert meAnalysisAI
The bfd_make_section_with_flags function in section.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. This NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability could allow attackers to crash the application by dereferencing a null pointer.
RemediationAI
A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Check pointers before dereferencing. Use static analysis tools to detect null pointer paths.
Affects your stack
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Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability is classified as NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476), which allows attackers to crash the application by dereferencing a null pointer. The bfd_make_section_with_flags function in section.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a NULL dereference via a crafted file. Affected products include: Gnu Binutils.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
DescriptionCVE.org
The bfd_make_section_with_flags function in section.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a NULL dereference via a crafted file.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
A null pointer dereference occurs when a program attempts to access memory through a pointer that has been set to NULL (address 0x0).
Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.
Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org
Stack-based buffer overflow in the ihex_scan function in bfd/ihex.c in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allows remote attac
elflink.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.28, has a "member a
finish_stab in stabs.c in GNU Binutils 2.30 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) o
Heap-based buffer overflow in the pe_print_edata function in bfd/peXXigen.c in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allows remo
readelf in GNU Binutils 2.28 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer over-read while processing corrupt RL78 binaries. Rate
The _bfd_XXi_swap_aouthdr_in function in bfd/peXXigen.c in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allows remote attackers to caus
Stack-based buffer overflow in the srec_scan function in bfd/srec.c in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allows remote attac
The *regs* macros in opcodes/bfin-dis.c in GNU Binutils 2.28 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer
The disassemble_bytes function in objdump.c in GNU Binutils 2.28 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (b
The setup_group function in bfd/elf.c in libbfd in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a deni
opcodes/rx-decode.opc in GNU Binutils 2.28 lacks bounds checks for certain scale arrays, which allows remote attackers t
The ieee_object_p function in bfd/ieee.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU
GitHub PoC
Exploit-DB