Description
dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, does not validate the DW_AT_name data type, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (bfd_hash_hash NULL pointer dereference, or out-of-bounds access, and application crash) via a crafted ELF file, related to scan_unit_for_symbols and parse_comp_unit.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | binutils | 2.29.90.20180122-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | binutils | 2.29.90.20180122-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | binutils | 2.29.90.20180122-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | binutils | 2.26.1-1ubuntu1~16.04.8+esm1 | USN-4336-2 |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | binutils | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 1
- USN-4336-2 binutils vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 25, 2026