CVE-2017-13710 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
The setup_group function in elf.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 group section that is too small.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13710 resides within the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library, a core component of GNU Binutils version 2.29. This flaw manifests in the setup_group function located in the elf.c file, representing a critical security weakness that can be exploited remotely to trigger a denial of service condition. The BFD library serves as a fundamental interface for handling various binary file formats, making it a critical component in tools such as objdump, nm, and ld that are widely used in software development and security analysis. The vulnerability specifically targets the processing of group sections within ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) files, which are standard binary formats used for executables, object code, and shared libraries across unix-like systems.
The technical flaw occurs when the setup_group function encounters a group section that is insufficiently sized to contain the expected data structure elements. This condition leads to a NULL pointer dereference during the processing of malformed ELF files, causing the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the BFD library's ELF file parsing routines, where the code assumes that group sections will contain sufficient data without proper bounds checking. When an attacker crafts a specially formatted ELF file with a deliberately truncated group section, the setup_group function fails to properly validate the section size before attempting to access memory locations that do not exist, resulting in the application crash.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged in various attack scenarios that target systems using GNU Binutils tools. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by delivering malicious ELF files to systems where binutils tools are executed, potentially causing denial of service against development environments, security analysis tools, or systems that process untrusted binary content. This vulnerability particularly affects systems that automatically process or analyze binary files, including continuous integration pipelines, malware analysis platforms, and security scanning tools that utilize BFD library functions. The crash occurs during normal file processing operations, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate file processing and malicious exploitation attempts, which can complicate incident response and forensic analysis activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13710 primarily involve updating to patched versions of GNU Binutils where the BFD library has been modified to properly validate group section sizes before attempting to process them. System administrators should prioritize updating their binutils installations to versions that include the relevant security patches, as the vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases of GNU Binutils. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation for binary files processed by tools that depend on BFD library functions, including sandboxing or restricted execution environments for untrusted binary content. Network security controls can be enhanced to detect and block suspicious binary file transfers that might contain malformed ELF structures designed to exploit this vulnerability. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution of malicious code through compromised systems, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls across multiple operational domains.