How severe is CVE-2017-12448?

CVE-2017-12448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-12448 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-12448?

CVE-2017-12448 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12448?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-12448 published?

CVE-2017-12448 was published on 2017-08-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-12448

CVE-2017-12448 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Binutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2017-08-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The bfd_cache_close function in bfd/cache.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a heap use after free and possibly achieve code execution via a crafted nested archive file. This issue occurs because incorrect functions are called during an attempt to release memory. The issue can be addressed by better input validation in the bfd_generic_archive_p function in bfd/archive.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12448?: The bfd_cache_close function in bfd/cache.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a heap use after free and possibly achieve code execution via a crafted nested archive file. This issue occurs because incorrect functions are called during an attempt to release memory. The issue can be addressed by better input validation in the bfd_generic_archive_p function in bfd/archive.c.
How severe is CVE-2017-12448?: CVE-2017-12448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-12448 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12448?: CVE-2017-12448 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12448?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-12448 published?: CVE-2017-12448 was published on 2017-08-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=21787

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:binutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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