How severe is CVE-2017-15938?

CVE-2017-15938 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-15938 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-15938?

CVE-2017-15938 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-15938?

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-2017-15938 published?

CVE-2017-15938 was published on 2017-10-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-15938

CVE-2017-15938 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Binutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-119.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2017-10-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, miscalculates DW_FORM_ref_addr die refs in the case of a relocatable object file, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (find_abstract_instance_name invalid memory read, segmentation fault, and application crash).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-15938?: dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29, miscalculates DW_FORM_ref_addr die refs in the case of a relocatable object file, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (find_abstract_instance_name invalid memory read, segmentation fault, and application crash).
How severe is CVE-2017-15938?: CVE-2017-15938 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-15938 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-15938?: CVE-2017-15938 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-15938?: 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-2017-15938 published?: CVE-2017-15938 was published on 2017-10-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:binutils:2.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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