libelf/elf_end.c in elfutils 0.173 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service…
Priority MEDIUM 48CWE-415Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 15 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-415 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
libelf/elf_end.c in elfutils 0.173 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (double free and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact because it tries to decompress twice.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.03691 89th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 15 fixed, 1 without a fix
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 · 10
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:0.173:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 0.173 | Vulnerable | Elfutils Project |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 9.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 15.0 | Vulnerable | openSUSE |
| cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 15.1 | Vulnerable | openSUSE |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:* | 16.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 18.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 18.10 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
- cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:0.173:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 0.173 Vulnerable ·Elfutils Project
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.0 Vulnerable ·openSUSE
- cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.1 Vulnerable ·openSUSE
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:* Versions 16.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 18.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 18.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2020:1471 Released 2020-04-14 · Red Hat rating Lowelfutils security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) elfutils-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-libelf-0.172-4.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) elfutils-devel-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-libelf-devel-0.172-4.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) elfutils-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-devel-0.172-4.el7_6 +7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) elfutils-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6.ppc, elfutils-libelf-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) elfutils-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-devel-0.172-4.el7_6 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) elfutils-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6, elfutils-libelf-devel-static-0.172-4.el7_6
- RHSA-2019:2197 Released 2019-08-06 · Red Hat rating Lowelfutils security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) elfutils-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-libelf-0.176-2.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) elfutils-devel-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-devel-static-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-libelf-devel-0.176-2.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) elfutils-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-libelf-0.176-2.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) elfutils-devel-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-devel-static-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-libelf-devel-0.176-2.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) elfutils-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-devel-0.176-2.el7 +7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) elfutils-devel-static-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-devel-static-0.176-2.el7.ppc, elfutils-libelf-devel-static-0.176-2.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) elfutils-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-default-yama-scope-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-devel-0.176-2.el7 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) elfutils-devel-static-0.176-2.el7, elfutils-libelf-devel-static-0.176-2.el7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7 Server | Fixed | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2197 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1471 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-16402
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-c337-vg7c-wfqh
References
Advisory 4
Sources
- CVE-2018-16402 · CVE Program
- CVE-2018-16402 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-c337-vg7c-wfqh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2018-16402 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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