How severe is CVE-2020-35448?

CVE-2020-35448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2020-35448 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-35448?

CVE-2020-35448 primarily affects Gnu Binutils. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-35448?

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

When was CVE-2020-35448 published?

CVE-2020-35448 was published on 2020-12-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-35448

CVE-2020-35448 is a low-severity vulnerability in Gnu Binutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3. 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: Low (CVSS 3.x base score 3.3)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (67th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-125
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2020-12-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.35.1. A heap-based buffer over-read can occur in bfd_getl_signed_32 in libbfd.c because sh_entsize is not validated in _bfd_elf_slurp_secondary_reloc_section in elf.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-35448?: An issue was discovered in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.35.1. A heap-based buffer over-read can occur in bfd_getl_signed_32 in libbfd.c because sh_entsize is not validated in _bfd_elf_slurp_secondary_reloc_section in elf.c.
How severe is CVE-2020-35448?: CVE-2020-35448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.3, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2020-35448 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-35448?: CVE-2020-35448 primarily affects Gnu Binutils. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-35448?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-35448 published?: CVE-2020-35448 was published on 2020-12-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:binutils:2.35.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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