CVE-2017-6965 : What You Need to Know

This CVE-2017-6965 article provides insights into a vulnerability in GNU Binutils 2.28 that leads to a heap-based buffer overflow when processing corrupt input files with symbol-difference relocations.

Understanding CVE-2017-6965

The vulnerability was made public on March 17, 2017, and poses a risk due to readelf writing to illegal addresses, potentially resulting in a heap-based buffer overflow.

What is CVE-2017-6965?

When GNU Binutils 2.28 processes corrupted input files containing symbol-difference relocations, readelf may write to illegal addresses, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow.

The Impact of CVE-2017-6965

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the heap-based buffer overflow, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-6965

The technical details shed light on the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in GNU Binutils 2.28 allows readelf to write to illegal addresses when handling corrupt input files with symbol-difference relocations, resulting in a heap-based buffer overflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: GNU Binutils 2.28

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a specially designed, corrupted input file with symbol-difference relocations to trigger the heap-based buffer overflow.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-6965 requires immediate steps and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches or updates provided by the vendor to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual activities that could indicate exploitation of the heap-based buffer overflow.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement proper input validation mechanisms to handle potentially malicious input securely.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and updates from GNU Binutils to address CVE-2017-6965.