CVE-2017-14940: Null Pointer Dereference

Published Sep 29, 2017
·
Updated

Last updated 24 July 2024

Other sources

scanunitforsymbols in dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via a crafted ELF file.

Affected Software

2 affected componentsFixes available
GNU binutils=2.29
debian/binutils
2.35.2-22.40-22.44-3

Event History

Sep 29, 2017
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:30 PM
Description
Sep 16, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:18 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2017-14940?

CVE-2017-14940 is a vulnerability in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library in GNU Binutils 2.29 that allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted ELF file.

2

How can the CVE-2017-14940 vulnerability be exploited?

The CVE-2017-14940 vulnerability can be exploited by sending a crafted ELF file to the target, causing a NULL pointer dereference and application crash.

3

Which software is affected by CVE-2017-14940?

The affected software is Binutils version 2.26.1-1ubuntu1~16.04.8+ through 2.29.90.20180122-1.

4

How can I mitigate the CVE-2017-14940 vulnerability?

To mitigate the CVE-2017-14940 vulnerability, update Binutils to version 2.31.1-16 or later.

5

Are there any references for CVE-2017-14940?

Yes, you can find more information about CVE-2017-14940 at the following links: [https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/09/26/binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-scan_unit_for_symbols-dwarf2-c/](https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2017/09/26/binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-scan_unit_for_symbols-dwarf2-c/), [https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22166](https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=22166), [https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git;h=0d76029f92182c3682d8be2c833d45bc9a2068fe](https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git;h=0d76029f92182c3682d8be2c833d45bc9a2068fe)

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