CVE-2004-1304: Stack-based buffer overflow in the ELF header parsing code in file before 4.12 allows attackers to execute...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2004-1304 is a memory corruption flaw in the file utility's ELF-header parsing before version 4.12. A malicious ELF file could cause arbitrary code execution when inspected. Business risk is highest where systems automatically analyze untrusted binaries, such as upload processing, malware triage, or build pipelines. Exposure likely exists on systems running file before 4.12, especially where untrusted ELF files are parsed automatically. The provided affected data lacks vendor and platform specificity, so validation must rely on local package inventory and vendor advisories. Treat as high priority for legacy or automated file-analysis environments. The issue is old, but arbitrary code execution through a parser used on untrusted files can become operationally significant if forgotten in base images or appliances. Mitigation focus: Upgrade file to version 4.12 or a vendor-supported fixed package.; Prioritize systems that parse user-supplied or externally sourced binaries.; Restrict automated parsing of untrusted ELF files until fixed..

Prepared

Jun 30, 2026, 01:53 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.