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TI-2018-11756 Aliases CVE-2018-16403GHSA-4v8w-v3fq-rj46

libdw in elfutils 0.173 checks the end of the attributes list incorrectly in…

Priority LOW 27CWE-125Published · 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
Partial Red Hat: 9 fixed, 3 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-125 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

libdw in elfutils 0.173 checks the end of the attributes list incorrectly in dwarf_getabbrev in dwarf_getabbrev.c and dwarf_hasattr in dwarf_hasattr.c, leading to a heap-based buffer over-read and an application crash.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.01123 66th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 9 fixed, 3 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:0.173:*:*:*:*:*:*:*0.173VulnerableElfutils Project
  • cpe:2.3:a:elfutils_project:elfutils:0.173:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 0.173 Vulnerable ·Elfutils Project

Remediation

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2019:2197 Released 2019-08-06 · Red Hat rating Low
    elfutils 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 →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Virtualization 4AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7 ServerFixed—
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 Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2019:2197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2019:2197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2019:2197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2019:2197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2019:2197
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-16403
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4v8w-v3fq-rj46

References

Exploit 1

Advisory 3

Other 1

  • 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
See all 32 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences