How severe is CVE-2017-9778?

CVE-2017-9778 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-9778 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (63rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-9778?

CVE-2017-9778 affects Gnu Gdb. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-9778?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2017-9778 published?

CVE-2017-9778 was published on 2017-06-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-9778

CVE-2017-9778 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnu Gdb with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (63rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Gnu Gdb
Published: 2017-06-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-9778?: GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
How severe is CVE-2017-9778?: CVE-2017-9778 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-9778 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (63rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-9778?: CVE-2017-9778 affects Gnu Gdb. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-9778?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-9778 published?: CVE-2017-9778 was published on 2017-06-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gdb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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