Local memory exhaustion via repeated DWARF allocations
Published Jul 27, 2025 · Updated Jul 28, 2025
Memory leak in GNU Binutils 2.44 DWARF handling allows local users to exhaust process memory by processing a crafted file. In process_debug_info in binutils/dwarf.c, a zero num_debug_info_entries value is treated as proof that debug_information is unallocated, so fuzzed input triggers repeated allocations instead of reusing the existing allocation. Low-privileged local access is required, and the bounded impact is availability loss from memory exhaustion rather than data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in GNU Binutils 2.44 DWARF handling allows local users to exhaust process memory by processing a crafted file. In process_debug_info in binutils/dwarf.c, a zero num_debug_info_entries value is treated as proof that debug_information is unallocated, so fuzzed input triggers repeated allocations instead of reusing the existing allocation. Low-privileged local access is required, and the bounded impact is availability loss from memory exhaustion rather than data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-8225
- Published
- Jul 27, 2025
- Updated
- Jul 28, 2025
- Vendor
- The GnuPG Project
- Product
- GNU Binutils
- Classifications
- CWE-404, CWE-401, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 28, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=2.44
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- VulDB proof-of-concept submissionproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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