How severe is CVE-2018-6872?

CVE-2018-6872 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-2018-6872 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-6872?

CVE-2018-6872 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-6872?

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

When was CVE-2018-6872 published?

CVE-2018-6872 was published on 2018-02-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-6872

CVE-2018-6872 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnu Binutils 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-125.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (80th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-125
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2018-02-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The elf_parse_notes function in elf.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.30, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and segmentation violation) via a note with a large alignment.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-6872?: The elf_parse_notes function in elf.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.30, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and segmentation violation) via a note with a large alignment.
How severe is CVE-2018-6872?: CVE-2018-6872 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-2018-6872 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-6872?: CVE-2018-6872 affects Gnu Binutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-6872?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-6872 published?: CVE-2018-6872 was published on 2018-02-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:binutils:2.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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