CVE-2025-1181Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Linker crash via unchecked ELF relocation index

Published Feb 11, 2025 · Updated Apr 25, 2025

Memory corruption in GNU Binutils ld 2.43 allows attackers to crash the linker by processing a crafted ELF file with section garbage collection. In _bfd_elf_gc_mark_rsec, an invalid relocation symbol index can fall outside both local and external symbol tables and be used without rejection. Remote delivery alone is insufficient; a user or build process must invoke ld with --gc-sections on the file, causing that linker process to terminate.

CVSS severity2.3
Low
EPSS probability0.72%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in GNU Binutils ld 2.43 allows attackers to crash the linker by processing a crafted ELF file with section garbage collection. In _bfd_elf_gc_mark_rsec, an invalid relocation symbol index can fall outside both local and external symbol tables and be used without rejection. Remote delivery alone is insufficient; a user or build process must invoke ld with --gc-sections on the file, causing that linker process to terminate.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-1181
Published
Feb 11, 2025
Updated
Apr 25, 2025
Vendor
The GnuPG Project
Product
GNU Binutils
Classifications
CWE-119, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 25, 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=2.43

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The GnuPG Project · GNU Binutilsversion=2.43

Published CVSS scores

2.3VulDBCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.0VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
5.1VulDBAV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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