CVE-2025-69651Public exploit

Utility crash via partially initialized relocation array

Published Mar 6, 2026 · Updated Mar 6, 2026

Invalid pointer free in GNU Binutils readelf through 2.46 allows attackers to crash the utility by supplying a crafted ELF binary. The dump_relocations error path can leave all_relocations partially uninitialized, after which process_got_section_contents() frees an invalid r_symbol pointer. A user must run readelf on the file; the observed result is SIGABRT without code execution, and third parties dispute that any tagged release contains the flaw.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Invalid pointer free in GNU Binutils readelf through 2.46 allows attackers to crash the utility by supplying a crafted ELF binary. The dump_relocations error path can leave all_relocations partially uninitialized, after which process_got_section_contents() frees an invalid r_symbol pointer. A user must run readelf on the file; the observed result is SIGABRT without code execution, and third parties dispute that any tagged release contains the flaw.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-69651
Published
Mar 6, 2026
Updated
Mar 6, 2026
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 6, 2026Record 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

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.5NVDCVSS: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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation
T1204.002Malicious 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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