CVE-2018-19932 in binutils
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils through 2.31. There is an integer overflow and infinite loop caused by the IS_CONTAINED_BY_LMA macro in elf.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19932 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 fundamental interface for handling various binary file formats, including object files, executables, and archives. The flaw manifests in the elf.c file where the IS_CONTAINED_BY_LMA macro processes memory layout information for executable files, creating a critical condition that affects the library's ability to properly parse and handle binary files. The issue specifically impacts GNU Binutils versions through 2.31, making it a widespread concern across numerous systems that rely on these tools for compilation, linking, and binary analysis operations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from an integer overflow condition combined with an infinite loop scenario within the IS_CONTAINED_BY_LMA macro implementation. When processing certain malformed or specially crafted binary files, the macro fails to properly validate integer values during memory address calculations, leading to an overflow that causes the loop condition to never terminate. This creates an infinite loop that consumes system resources and can result in a denial of service condition, where legitimate processes attempting to use the BFD library become unresponsive or crash. The flaw operates at the core level of binary file parsing, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect any application or tool that depends on BFD for processing binary data, including compilers, debuggers, and system utilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-19932 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it represents a critical security weakness that can be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt system operations or potentially escalate privileges. Systems that process untrusted binary input through BFD-dependent tools become vulnerable to resource exhaustion attacks, where attackers can craft malicious files to trigger the infinite loop condition and consume system resources. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-191, which describes integer underflow or overflow conditions, and demonstrates how seemingly benign parsing operations can create severe security implications. The flaw also intersects with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which involves resource exhaustion attacks, as the infinite loop directly consumes system resources and can be leveraged to create denial of service conditions that affect availability of critical system services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of GNU Binutils, specifically versions 2.32 and later where the integer overflow and infinite loop conditions have been addressed. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all systems utilizing BFD-dependent tools receive updates promptly. Additionally, input validation measures should be implemented at system boundaries where binary files are processed, particularly in environments that handle untrusted input. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual resource consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust integer handling and loop termination validation in security-critical libraries, emphasizing the need for thorough code review processes and automated testing for integer overflow conditions. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing or containerization strategies for binary processing tasks to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.