CVE-2017-14938: _bfd_elf_slurp_version_tables in elf.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distrib...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2017-14938 is a denial-of-service issue in GNU Binutils 2.29 libbfd. A malicious ELF file can force excessive memory allocation and crash software that processes it. Business impact depends on whether untrusted binaries are analyzed in build, malware, forensics, or upload-processing workflows. Exposure is most likely where Binutils/libbfd tools or libraries process attacker-supplied ELF files, such as CI artifact inspection, reverse engineering, malware triage, package analysis, or file-upload scanning. Systems without untrusted ELF parsing have lower practical exposure. Prioritize if the organization processes untrusted binaries at scale or in automated pipelines. For ordinary endpoints with no untrusted ELF analysis, treat as routine patching. The main risk is service disruption, not confirmed compromise. Mitigation focus: Apply vendor or distro Binutils updates that include the upstream Sourceware fix.; Avoid processing untrusted ELF files with vulnerable Binutils/libbfd where possible.; Isolate binary-analysis workflows that must inspect untrusted artifacts..

Prepared

Jun 12, 2026, 20:56 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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