How severe is CVE-2021-20284?

CVE-2021-20284 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-2021-20284 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-2021-20284?

CVE-2021-20284 primarily affects Gnu Binutils. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-20284?

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

When was CVE-2021-20284 published?

CVE-2021-20284 was published on 2021-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-20284

CVE-2021-20284 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-119.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (67th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Gnu Binutils
Published: 2021-03-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in GNU Binutils 2.35.1, where there is a heap-based buffer overflow in _bfd_elf_slurp_secondary_reloc_section in elf.c due to the number of symbols not calculated correctly. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-20284?: A flaw was found in GNU Binutils 2.35.1, where there is a heap-based buffer overflow in _bfd_elf_slurp_secondary_reloc_section in elf.c due to the number of symbols not calculated correctly. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.
How severe is CVE-2021-20284?: CVE-2021-20284 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-2021-20284 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-2021-20284?: CVE-2021-20284 primarily affects Gnu Binutils. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20284?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-20284 published?: CVE-2021-20284 was published on 2021-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

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

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