The __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock function in elf_getdata.c in elfutils before 0.168 allows…
Priority LOW 28CWE-119Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-119 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
The __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock function in elf_getdata.c in elfutils before 0.168 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted (1) sh_off or (2) sh_size ELF header value, which triggers a memory allocation failure.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.01696 77th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 0.167 | Vulnerable | Elfutils Project |
- cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 0.167 Vulnerable ·Elfutils Project
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-10255
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-j343-3qch-m53h
References
Advisory 5
- USN-3670-1
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1387584
- GLSA-201710-10
- [oss-security] 20170322 Re: elfutils: memory allocation failure in __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock (elf_getdata.c)
- https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2016/11/04/elfutils-memory-allocation-failure-in-__libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock-elf_getdata-c/
More Elfutils Project Elfutils vulnerabilities
- TI-2021-12787 In elfutils 0.183, an infinite loop was found in the function handle_symtab in readelf.c… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
- TI-2020-13973 The libcpu component which is used by libasm of elfutils version 0.177 (git 47780c9e)… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
- TI-2025-01176 GNU elfutils eu-read readelf.c handle_dynamic_symtab null pointer dereference CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2024-16666 elfutils v0.189 was discovered to contain a NULL pointer dereference via the handle_verdef() function at readelf.c. CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.0
- TI-2018-11755 libelf/elf_end.c in elfutils 0.173 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2014-00166 Integer overflow in the check_section function in dwarf_begin_elf.c in the libdw library… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 6.8
Sources
- CVE-2016-10255 · CVE Program
- CVE-2016-10255 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j343-3qch-m53h · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2016-10255 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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