CVE-2022-48063Public exploit

Local memory exhaustion via crafted ELF debug data

Published Aug 22, 2023 · Updated Oct 3, 2024

Uncontrolled resource consumption in GNU Binutils before 2.40 allows local users to exhaust memory by supplying a crafted ELF file. The load_separate_debug_files function in dwarf.c consumes excessive memory while readelf processes the file's separate debug information. Exploitation requires an affected inspection tool to process the file and can interrupt the local process; upstream disputes its treatment as a security issue.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled resource consumption in GNU Binutils before 2.40 allows local users to exhaust memory by supplying a crafted ELF file. The load_separate_debug_files function in dwarf.c consumes excessive memory while readelf processes the file's separate debug information. Exploitation requires an affected inspection tool to process the file and can interrupt the local process; upstream disputes its treatment as a security issue.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48063
Published
Aug 22, 2023
Updated
Oct 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-400, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 3, 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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
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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