CVE-2017-9043
readelf.c in GNU Binutils 2017-04-12 has a "shift exponent too large for type unsigned long" issue, which might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted ELF file.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (2.13%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
readelf.c in GNU Binutils 2017-04-12 has a "shift exponent too large for type unsigned long" issue, which might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted ELF 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
- 2.13% probability · 82th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Affected
- gnu/binutils
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS moved from 3.5% on 21 September 2026 to 2.1% on 27 October 2026.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98591
- https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/05/12/binutils-multiple-crashes/Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=ddef72cdc10d82ba011a7ff81cafbbd3466acf54
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98591
- https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/05/12/binutils-multiple-crashes/Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=ddef72cdc10d82ba011a7ff81cafbbd3466acf54
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.