CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2018-20623

Use After Free

Published: Dec 31, 2018 | Modified: May 06, 2025
CVSS 3.x
5.5
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.x
4.3 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
5.3 MODERATE
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Ubuntu
LOW
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In GNU Binutils 2.31.1, there is a use-after-free in the error function in elfcomm.c when called from the process_archive function in readelf.c via a crafted ELF file.

Weakness

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory “belongs” to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Affected Software

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
BinutilsGnu2.31.1 (including)2.31.1 (including)
BinutilsUbuntubionic*
BinutilsUbuntucosmic*
BinutilsUbuntudisco*
BinutilsUbuntuesm-infra-legacy/trusty*
BinutilsUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
BinutilsUbuntuesm-infra/xenial*
BinutilsUbuntuprecise/esm*
BinutilsUbuntutrusty*
BinutilsUbuntutrusty/esm*
BinutilsUbuntuxenial*

Potential Mitigations

References