CVE-2017-9749 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
The *regs* macros in opcodes/bfin-dis.c in GNU Binutils 2.28 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer overflow and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted binary file, as demonstrated by mishandling of this file during "objdump -D" execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9749 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the GNU Binutils 2.28 distribution, specifically affecting the opcodes/bfin-dis.c file. This issue arises from improper handling of the regs macros during disassembly operations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through carefully crafted binary files. The vulnerability manifests when the objdump utility processes malformed input files, leading to unpredictable system behavior and potential complete service disruption.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the disassembly engine of binutils. When the bfin-dis.c module encounters specially constructed binary data, the regs macro processing fails to validate input boundaries properly, resulting in memory corruption that can overflow adjacent buffers. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks allow attackers to write beyond allocated memory regions. The vulnerability's exploitation occurs during normal operational procedures when users execute objdump -D commands against maliciously crafted files, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated processing or file analysis is common.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9749 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to crash applications running objdump or other tools that depend on binutils disassembly capabilities, effectively creating a persistent denial of service condition. In more severe scenarios, the buffer overflow could potentially be extended to achieve arbitrary code execution, particularly when combined with other vulnerabilities or when the affected system runs in a privileged context. The vulnerability affects systems where binutils is installed and used for binary analysis, making it a significant concern for security operations centers, software development environments, and systems handling untrusted binary data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate patching of affected systems with updated binutils versions that address the buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should prioritize updating their GNU Binutils installations to versions that contain the necessary fixes for the regs macro handling in bfin-dis.c. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sandboxing mechanisms when processing untrusted binary files can provide defense-in-depth protection. Security teams should also consider monitoring for suspicious objdump usage patterns and implementing access controls that limit who can execute disassembly operations on potentially malicious files. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service, and should be monitored as part of broader threat detection protocols for malicious file analysis activities.