CVE-2023-39129

Debugger crash via unchecked COFF string-table offset

Published Jul 25, 2023 · Updated Oct 24, 2024

Heap use-after-free in GNU GDB 13.0.50.20220805-git allows local users to crash the debugger by opening a crafted PE file. COFF symbol parsing accepts an out-of-range string-table offset, and add_pe_exported_sym later dereferences the resulting invalid symbol-name pointer. A GDB user must load malformed COFF/PE debug information; exploitation terminates that debugger process and interrupts its current session.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap use-after-free in GNU GDB 13.0.50.20220805-git allows local users to crash the debugger by opening a crafted PE file. COFF symbol parsing accepts an out-of-range string-table offset, and add_pe_exported_sym later dereferences the resulting invalid symbol-name pointer. A GDB user must load malformed COFF/PE debug information; exploitation terminates that debugger process and interrupts its current session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-39129
Published
Jul 25, 2023
Updated
Oct 24, 2024
Vendor
GNU
Product
GNU Debugger (GDB)
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 24, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=13.0.50.20220805-git

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GNU · GNU Debugger (GDB)version=13.0.50.20220805-git

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

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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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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