CVE-2017-14939
decode_line_info in dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, mishandles a length calculation, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and…
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB, so the technical barrier is gone even though the severity is medium and EPSS is 5.9%. Treat it as high on anything reachable from the internet.
Description
decode_line_info in dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, mishandles a length calculation, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and application crash) via a crafted ELF file, related to read_1_byte.
- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 5.94% probability · 93th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 10 October 2017
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-125
- Affected
- gnu/binutils
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS moved from 11.3% on 21 September 2026 to 5.9% on 27 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101216
- https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/09/26/binutils-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-read_1_byte-dwarf2-c/Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22169Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=515f23e63c0074ab531bc954f84ca40c6281a724
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42970/
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101216
- https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/09/26/binutils-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-read_1_byte-dwarf2-c/Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22169Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=515f23e63c0074ab531bc954f84ca40c6281a724
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42970/
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.