CVE-2025-11083

Vulnerability

Analysis

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in GNU Binutils version 2.45, specifically within the elf_swap_shdr function in the bfd/elfcode.h file of the Linker component. The flaw arises from improper handling of data during the swapping of ELF section headers, leading to a write beyond the allocated heap buffer. This issue was publicly disclosed and is addressed by a patch identified by commit 9ca499644a21ceb3f946d1c179c38a83be084490, with the maintainer confirming the fix for version 2.46 [1].

Exploitation

The attack vector is local, meaning an attacker must have the ability to execute code on the target system or supply a crafted ELF file to the linker. No authentication is required beyond local access, and the attack complexity is considered low. The vulnerability is triggered when the linker processes a maliciously crafted ELF object file, causing the elf_swap_shdr function to overflow a heap buffer [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation could lead to a denial of service (application crash) or, potentially, arbitrary code execution in the context of the linker process. Given that the linker is often used in build environments and development systems, a compromise could affect the integrity of generated binaries. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation [1].

Mitigation

Siemens has confirmed that certain SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU families (including related ET 200 CPUs and SIPLUS variants) are affected by this vulnerability. Users are advised to apply the patch provided by the GNU Binutils project (commit 9ca499644a21ceb3f946d1c179c38a83be084490) or update to version 2.46 or later. Siemens recommends following their security advisory SSA-082556 for specific remediation steps for industrial products [1].