CVE-2020-35495 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability in binutils versions prior to 2.34 could allow an attacker to trigger a null pointer dereference, impacting application availability.

Understanding CVE-2020-35495

This CVE involves a flaw in binutils that could lead to a null pointer dereference when processing crafted input files.

What is CVE-2020-35495?

The vulnerability in binutils /bfd/pef.c could be exploited by submitting a specially crafted input file to the objdump program, resulting in a null pointer dereference. The main risk posed by this flaw is to the availability of affected applications.

The Impact of CVE-2020-35495

The greatest threat from this vulnerability is to application availability, potentially leading to denial of service or system crashes.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-35495

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in binutils versions prior to 2.34 allows an attacker to cause a null pointer dereference by submitting a crafted input file to the objdump program.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: binutils
Affected Version: binutils 2.34 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by providing a specially crafted input file to the objdump program, triggering the null pointer dereference.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-35495, consider the following mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update binutils to version 2.34 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor vendor advisories for patches and updates related to this issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure coding practices to reduce the likelihood of null pointer dereference vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by the vendor promptly to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.