CVE-2017-16831
coffgen.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29.1, does not validate the symbol count, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (integer overflow and application crash, or…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (1.78%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
coffgen.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29.1, does not validate the symbol count, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (integer overflow and application crash, or excessive memory allocation) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted PE file.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 1.78% probability · 78th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-190
- Affected
- gnu/binutils
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS moved from 2.9% on 21 September 2026 to 1.8% on 27 October 2026.
References
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201811-17
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22385Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=6cee897971d4d7cd37d2a686bb6d2aa3e759c8ca
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201811-17
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22385Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=6cee897971d4d7cd37d2a686bb6d2aa3e759c8ca
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.