CVE-2017-12799

Vulnerability

The vulnerability resides in the elf_read_notes function within bfd/elf.c of GNU Binutils 2.29. It is triggered when processing a specifically crafted binary file (ELF format) that causes a buffer overflow, leading to an application crash. This affects all users of Binutils 2.29, including those who compile or analyze untrusted binaries [1].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this issue by enticing a user to compile, execute, or analyze a maliciously crafted binary file. No special network position or authentication is required; the attack vector is local or remote via file delivery (e.g., email, download). The user must process the file with a tool from the Binutils suite (e.g., objdump, nm, size) that utilizes the BFD library [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation causes a denial of service due to a buffer overflow, which may crash the application. The official description notes the possibility of unspecified other impact, but the primary documented consequence is crash/DoS. No privilege escalation or code execution is confirmed in the references [1].

Mitigation

The Gentoo security advisory (GLSA 201801-01) recommends upgrading to Binutils version 2.29.1-r1 or later. Users should run emerge --sync and then emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=sys-devel/binutils-2.29.1-r1". No workarounds are available for users who cannot upgrade [1].