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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2017-15938

🗓️ 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 7 Views

Linux host has unpatched CVE-2017-15938 causing denial of service with GNU Binutils libraries.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: Multiple vulnerabilities in GNU Binutils affect IBM Netezza Platform Software clients.
18 Oct 201903:36
ibm
BDU FSTEC
The vulnerability of the dwarf2.c component in the GNU Binutils development environment allows a hacker to trigger a service failure.
14 Nov 202300:00
bdu_fstec
CloudLinux
Fix of CVE: CVE-2017-15022, CVE-2017-9742, CVE-2017-9749, CVE-2017-14940, CVE-2017-15225, CVE-2017-9753, CVE-2017-14130, CVE-2017-14333, CVE-2017-8421, CVE-2017-8398, CVE-2017-12448, CVE-2017-16826, CVE-2017-15938, CVE-2017-16831, CVE-2017-9744, CVE-2017-12455, CVE-2017-15996, CVE-2017-8396, CVE-2017-12451, CVE-2017-7614, CVE-2017-12452, CVE-2017-9748, CVE-2017-7225, CVE-2017-7302, CVE-2017-12449, CVE-2017-12458, CVE-2017-16827, CVE-2017-15939, CVE-2017-7227, CVE-2017-7226, CVE-2017-16828, CVE-2017-17121, CVE-2017-12453, CVE-2017-17080, CVE-2017-17124, CVE-2017-7223, CVE-2017-9747, CVE-2017-12457, CVE-2017-12456, CVE-2017-7299, CVE-2017-7300, CVE-2017-9754, CVE-2017-13710, CVE-2017-12450, CVE-2017-7301, CVE-2017-8394, CVE-2017-12454, CVE-2017-14932, CVE-2017-15020, CVE-2017-17123, CVE-2017-12459, CVE-2017-7224, CVE-2017-17125, CVE-2017-12799, CVE-2017-8393, CVE-2017-14938
24 Nov 202116:19
cloudlinux
CloudLinux
Fix of 56 CVEs
6 Dec 202115:16
cloudlinux
CNVD
GNU Binutils Binary File Descriptor Library Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
3 Nov 201700:00
cnvd
CVE
CVE-2017-15938
27 Oct 201721:00
cve
Cvelist
CVE-2017-15938
27 Oct 201721:00
cvelist
Debian CVE
CVE-2017-15938
27 Oct 201721:00
debiancve
Tenable Nessus
EulerOS 2.0 SP1 : binutils (EulerOS-SA-2017-1285)
1 Dec 201700:00
nessus
Tenable Nessus
EulerOS 2.0 SP2 : binutils (EulerOS-SA-2017-1286)
1 Dec 201700:00
nessus
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(220976);
  script_version("1.5");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2025/10/13");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2017-15938");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2017-15938");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - dwarf2.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.29,
    miscalculates DW_FORM_ref_addr die refs in the case of a relocatable object file, which allows remote
    attackers to cause a denial of service (find_abstract_instance_name invalid memory read, segmentation
    fault, and application crash). (CVE-2017-15938)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2017-15938");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-15938");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2017-15938");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/03/04");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:centos:centos:7");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:binutils-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:binutils220");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:binutils-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:binutils220");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("set_linux_os_id.nasl", "ssh_get_info2.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/OS/identifier", "Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/CentOS Linux-7", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-5", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-6", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-7", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/CentOS/rpm-list")) && empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l")) && empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/RedHat/rpm-list"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils-dev"},
          {"reference": "binutils-doc"},
          {"reference": "binutils-hppa64"},
          {"reference": "binutils-multiarch"},
          {"reference": "binutils-multiarch-dev"},
          {"reference": "binutils-source"},
          {"reference": "binutils-static"},
          {"reference": "binutils-static-udeb"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-5": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "5",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils220"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "CentOS Linux-7": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "7",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils-devel"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-6": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "6",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils-devel"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-7": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "7",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils-devel"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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13 Oct 2025 00:00Current
6.9Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.9
CVSS 25
CVSS 37.5
EPSS0.00658
7