CVE-2025-69648
binutils: infinite loop in readelf via crafted binary with malformed DWARF .debug_rnglists data
Severity
LowRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · March 9, 2026
Updated · June 28, 2026
Description
A flaw was found in binutils. Processing a specially crafted ELF binary file containing malformed DWARF .debug_rnglists data with the readelf program can trigger an infinite loop and result in a denial of service.
Statement
This issue is classified with a low severity primarily because binutils is not typically exposed to untrusted inputs in most environments, limiting the possibility of exploitation. Additionally, this infinite loop is only triggered during the parsing of a specially crafted file, requiring an attacker to convince a user to process this file with readelf. Furthermore, binutils does not handle privileged operations, meaning that exploitation is unlikely to lead to system compromise or escalation of privileges. Also, the impact is limited to the application itself, without affecting the broader system or network security.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, do not process untrusted, unverified or externally supplied ELF binaries with the readelf program.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 3.3CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CWE-835 · Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')