CVE-2017-8392 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
The Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.28, is vulnerable to an invalid read of size 8 because of missing a check to determine whether symbols are NULL in the _bfd_dwarf2_find_nearest_line function. This vulnerability causes programs that conduct an analysis of binary programs using the libbfd library, such as objdump, to crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8392 resides within the Binary File Descriptor library, commonly known as BFD or libbfd, which is a core component of the GNU Binutils suite. This library serves as a critical interface for handling various binary file formats, enabling tools like objdump, readelf, and other debugging utilities to analyze and manipulate executable files. The flaw manifests specifically in the _bfd_dwarf2_find_nearest_line function, which is responsible for processing DWARF debugging information within binary files. When analyzing programs that contain malformed or incomplete DWARF debug data, the function fails to validate whether symbol references are properly initialized, creating a dangerous condition where memory is accessed without proper bounds checking.
The technical nature of this vulnerability can be classified under CWE-476, which represents a NULL pointer dereference, and more specifically relates to improper validation of input data within the debugging information processing pipeline. The vulnerability occurs when the _bfd_dwarf2_find_nearest_line function attempts to read an 8-byte value from what it believes to be a valid symbol structure, but the symbol pointer has not been properly validated. This type of invalid read represents a classic memory safety issue that can lead to application crashes, and in more sophisticated attack scenarios, could potentially enable further exploitation. The affected version, GNU Binutils 2.28, was widely distributed and used across numerous operating systems and development environments, amplifying the potential impact of this flaw.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8392 extends beyond simple application crashes, as it affects the reliability and stability of numerous security and debugging tools that depend on the BFD library. When objdump or similar utilities encounter binary files containing malformed DWARF debug information, they will immediately crash upon attempting to process these specific sections, rendering the tools unusable for their intended purpose. This vulnerability particularly affects security analysts, reverse engineers, and developers who rely on these tools for binary analysis, as it can disrupt critical workflows and potentially prevent the identification of other security issues within the analyzed binaries. The crash behavior also makes this vulnerability suitable for denial-of-service attacks, where an attacker could craft malicious binary files designed to crash analysis tools, effectively preventing legitimate analysis activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8392 should focus on updating to patched versions of GNU Binutils, specifically versions 2.29 and later, which contain the necessary validation checks to prevent the NULL pointer dereference. System administrators and security teams should prioritize patching affected systems, particularly those running security analysis tools or development environments that utilize objdump and similar BFD-dependent utilities. Additionally, organizations can implement defensive measures such as validating input files before processing them with BFD-dependent tools, and employing sandboxing techniques to isolate potentially malicious binary files. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under the technique of privilege escalation or defense evasion, where attackers might attempt to disrupt security analysis capabilities or use the crash behavior to hide malicious activity within legitimate binary analysis processes. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of memory safety validation in core system libraries, as these components form the foundation upon which numerous security tools and system functions depend.