How severe is CVE-2017-12449?

CVE-2017-12449 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-2017-12449 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (70th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-12449?

CVE-2017-12449 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12449?

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-2017-12449 published?

CVE-2017-12449 was published on 2017-08-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-12449

CVE-2017-12449 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-125.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (70th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-125
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2017-08-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The _bfd_vms_save_sized_string function in vms-misc.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause an out of bounds heap read via a crafted vms file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12449?: The _bfd_vms_save_sized_string function in vms-misc.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause an out of bounds heap read via a crafted vms file.
How severe is CVE-2017-12449?: CVE-2017-12449 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-2017-12449 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (70th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12449?: CVE-2017-12449 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12449?: 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-2017-12449 published?: CVE-2017-12449 was published on 2017-08-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=21840

Affected products (1)

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

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