CVE-2021-32256Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Tool crash via recursive Rust symbol demangling

Published Jul 18, 2023 · Updated Oct 28, 2024

Stack overflow in GNU Binutils 2.36 allows context-dependent attackers to crash binary-inspection tools with malformed Rust symbols. The libiberty Rust demangler's demangle_type routine recursively parses attacker-controlled type encodings without an effective depth bound, exhausting the process stack. Exploitation requires a Binutils consumer to demangle a crafted symbol; the bounded impact is termination of that inspection process, not data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.75%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack overflow in GNU Binutils 2.36 allows context-dependent attackers to crash binary-inspection tools with malformed Rust symbols. The libiberty Rust demangler's demangle_type routine recursively parses attacker-controlled type encodings without an effective depth bound, exhausting the process stack. Exploitation requires a Binutils consumer to demangle a crafted symbol; the bounded impact is termination of that inspection process, not data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-32256
Published
Jul 18, 2023
Updated
Oct 28, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 28, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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