CVE-2014-8116: The ELF parser (readelf.c) in file before 5.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU co...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This issue affects the file utility's ELF parser before version 5.21. A specially crafted ELF file can make parsing consume excessive CPU or crash. Business impact is denial of service, mainly where systems inspect files supplied by users, partners, or automated pipelines. Exposure is most likely on Unix-like systems or applications that run file/libmagic against untrusted ELF uploads, email attachments, build artifacts, malware samples, or shared files. Distribution advisories indicate packaged operating systems addressed this issue, but the bundle lacks a complete affected-version matrix. Prioritize remediation for internet-facing upload, email, sandbox, and artifact-scanning services. For ordinary servers where file is only used locally by trusted administrators, urgency is lower but patching remains appropriate hygiene. Mitigation focus: Upgrade file/libmagic to vendor-fixed packages or version 5.21 or later where appropriate.; Apply relevant OS vendor advisories for FreeBSD, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Oracle, or other distributions.; Restrict automated file inspection of untrusted ELF files until patched..

Prepared

Jun 14, 2026, 05:41 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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