CVE-2023-25588 Overview
A flaw was found in GNU Binutils where the the_bfd field of the asymbol struct is uninitialized in the bfd_mach_o_get_synthetic_symtab function. This uninitialized memory use vulnerability may lead to an application crash and local denial of service when processing specially crafted Mach-O binary files.
Critical Impact
Attackers can cause application crashes and denial of service by providing malformed Mach-O object files to binutils tools, potentially disrupting development workflows and build processes.
Affected Products
- GNU Binutils 2.40
- Systems using vulnerable binutils for binary analysis
- Development environments relying on affected binutils versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2023-09-14 - CVE-2023-25588 published to NVD
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2023-25588
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability falls under CWE-457 (Use of Uninitialized Variable) and CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource). The flaw exists in the bfd_mach_o_get_synthetic_symtab function within the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library, which is a core component of GNU Binutils used for handling various object file formats including Mach-O.
When processing Mach-O binaries, the function fails to properly initialize the the_bfd field of the asymbol structure before use. This uninitialized pointer can contain arbitrary memory values, leading to undefined behavior when the field is subsequently dereferenced during symbol table processing.
The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction—a victim must process a maliciously crafted Mach-O file using an affected binutils tool such as objdump, nm, or readelf. While the impact is limited to denial of service through application crashes, this can disrupt development workflows, automated build systems, and security analysis pipelines that rely on these tools.
Root Cause
The root cause is an uninitialized memory use vulnerability in the BFD library's Mach-O handling code. The asymbol structure's the_bfd field, which should reference the BFD object associated with the symbol, is not properly initialized before being accessed. This initialization oversight allows the field to contain garbage data from the stack or heap, causing crashes when the invalid pointer is dereferenced.
Attack Vector
The attack vector requires local access to the target system. An attacker must craft a malicious Mach-O object file designed to trigger the uninitialized memory access and convince a user or automated system to process this file using GNU Binutils tools.
The vulnerability can be triggered in several scenarios:
- A developer analyzing an untrusted binary file
- Automated build systems processing third-party object files
- Security researchers examining potentially malicious samples
- Package build processes that analyze binary artifacts
When a vulnerable binutils tool attempts to process the synthetic symbol table of the crafted Mach-O file, the uninitialized the_bfd field causes the application to crash, resulting in denial of service.
Detection Methods for CVE-2023-25588
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes of binutils tools (objdump, nm, readelf, strip) when processing Mach-O files
- Core dumps generated during binary analysis operations
- Repeated segmentation faults in development or build environments
- Error messages indicating memory access violations in BFD library functions
Detection Strategies
- Monitor system logs for abnormal termination of binutils processes
- Implement crash detection for binutils tools in CI/CD pipelines
- Use address sanitizer (ASAN) builds of binutils during testing to detect memory issues
- Track patterns of application crashes when processing external binary files
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable core dump collection and analysis for binutils tool crashes
- Implement alerting for repeated failures of automated build processes
- Monitor for unusual Mach-O file submissions to development systems
- Configure build systems to report and quarantine files that cause tool failures
How to Mitigate CVE-2023-25588
Immediate Actions Required
- Update GNU Binutils to a patched version that includes the fix from commit d12f8998d2d086f0a6606589e5aedb7147e6f2f1
- Avoid processing untrusted Mach-O binary files with vulnerable binutils versions
- Implement input validation and sandboxing for binary analysis operations
- Review and update binutils packages through your distribution's package manager
Patch Information
The vulnerability has been addressed in the upstream GNU Binutils repository. The fix is available in Sourceware Git Commit d12f899, which properly initializes the the_bfd field in the asymbol structure before use.
For additional information, refer to:
Workarounds
- Run binutils tools in isolated environments or containers when processing untrusted files
- Implement file type validation to reject unexpected or malformed Mach-O files before processing
- Use alternative tools for Mach-O analysis until patching is complete
- Configure resource limits (ulimit) to prevent runaway processes from impacting system stability
# Check installed binutils version
binutils --version
# Or check specific tools
objdump --version
# Update binutils on Debian/Ubuntu systems
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade binutils
# Update binutils on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora systems
sudo dnf update binutils
# Run binutils tools in a container for untrusted files
docker run --rm -v /path/to/file:/input:ro binutils-container objdump -x /input/file.o
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
