CVE-2017-16831 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
coffgen.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29.1, does not validate the symbol count, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (integer overflow and application crash, or excessive memory allocation) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted PE file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16831 resides within the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library component of GNU Binutils version 2.29.1, specifically in the coffgen.c file responsible for processing COFF (Common Object File Format) files. This flaw represents a critical security issue that demonstrates poor input validation practices within a widely-used binary manipulation toolchain. The BFD library serves as a fundamental component for handling various binary file formats across different operating systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can affect numerous downstream applications and security tools that depend on proper binary processing capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient validation of symbol count parameters within PE (Portable Executable) file parsing operations. When processing a crafted PE file, the coffgen.c implementation fails to properly validate the symbol count field, leading to potential integer overflow conditions that can result in application crashes or excessive memory allocation patterns. This validation gap allows attackers to construct malicious PE files containing malformed symbol count values that, when processed by the BFD library, trigger unexpected behavior. The vulnerability operates at the level of binary file parsing and manipulation, where the library's failure to enforce proper bounds checking creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory allocation patterns through carefully crafted input data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to cause application crashes that may result in system instability or service unavailability, particularly in environments where binary processing is critical for system operations. The excessive memory allocation potential suggests that attackers could potentially consume system resources in a way that degrades performance or causes system-wide instability. Additionally, the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the vulnerability description indicate that this flaw might provide opportunities for more serious consequences including potential code execution or privilege escalation scenarios, though these remain unconfirmed in the initial disclosure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16831 should focus on immediate patching of affected GNU Binutils installations to version 2.30 or later, which contains the necessary validation fixes. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as input sanitization for binary files processed through BFD-dependent applications, network segmentation to limit exposure, and monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns or application crashes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which addresses integer overflow conditions, and may relate to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through binary manipulation. Security teams should prioritize this vulnerability in their assessment cycles due to its potential for remote exploitation and the widespread use of Binutils across various security and development tools. System administrators should also consider implementing additional controls such as file type validation and binary analysis tools to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.