CVE-2017-9042 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
readelf.c in GNU Binutils 2017-04-12 has a "cannot be represented in type long" issue, which might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted ELF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9042 resides within the readelf.c component of GNU Binutils version released on April 12, 2017, representing a critical flaw that can be exploited to disrupt system operations. This issue manifests when processing specially crafted ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) files that contain malformed data structures, specifically targeting the internal representation of numerical values within the binary analysis tool. The flaw stems from a type conversion error where certain data fields cannot be properly represented within the confines of the long integer type, creating a scenario where the application encounters an unexpected overflow condition during parsing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of large numerical values within ELF file headers and section descriptors. When readelf processes an ELF file containing oversized or malformed fields that exceed the maximum representable value for the long data type, the program fails to gracefully handle the overflow condition. This results in undefined behavior that can manifest as application crashes, segmentation faults, or other forms of system instability. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of software engineering practices and security considerations, where the lack of proper input validation and type boundary checking creates an exploitable condition that can be triggered remotely through the deliberate crafting of malicious ELF files.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that rely on GNU Binutils for binary analysis and inspection tasks. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable versions of readelf, potentially disrupting critical infrastructure operations or security analysis workflows. The remote exploit capability means that adversaries can trigger the vulnerability without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where binary analysis tools are frequently used. While the primary impact is described as denial of service, the unspecified nature of potential other impacts suggests that more sophisticated exploitation techniques could potentially be developed, possibly leading to privilege escalation or information disclosure scenarios.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-191, which specifically addresses integer underflow or overflow conditions, and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in security-critical software components. Organizations using GNU Binutils should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to versions that address this vulnerability, as the flaw affects widely used system administration and security analysis tools. Mitigation strategies should include implementing strict input validation for ELF file processing, deploying network segmentation to limit exposure, and monitoring for suspicious file processing activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing automated patching mechanisms and regular security assessments to ensure that all components within their infrastructure remain protected against similar vulnerabilities that may arise from improper handling of binary data structures and type conversions.