CVE-2023-1972Network attack vector

Utility crash via zero-length ELF version table

Published May 17, 2023 · Updated Jan 22, 2025

Heap buffer overflow in GNU Binutils 2.40 and earlier allows attackers to crash a utility by supplying a malformed ELF file. _bfd_elf_slurp_version_tables() fails to reject a zero allocation size derived from the ELF version-definition table before accessing the resulting buffer. Exploitation requires a BFD-using utility to parse the crafted file, and the grounded consequence is a crash of that process.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap buffer overflow in GNU Binutils 2.40 and earlier allows attackers to crash a utility by supplying a malformed ELF file. _bfd_elf_slurp_version_tables() fails to reject a zero allocation size derived from the ELF version-definition table before accessing the resulting buffer. Exploitation requires a BFD-using utility to parse the crafted file, and the grounded consequence is a crash of that process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1972
Published
May 17, 2023
Updated
Jan 22, 2025
Vendor
The GnuPG Project
Product
GNU Binutils
Classifications
CWE-119, CWE-787
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 22, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=affected at least binutils 2.40

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The GnuPG Project · GNU Binutilsversion=affected at least binutils 2.40

Published CVSS scores

6.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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