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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2021-45078: stab_xcoff_builtin_type in stabs.c in GNU Binutils through 2.37 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow)…

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1.4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 73% of all records.
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: binutils (Debian:12) 2.37.50.20220106-1; binutils (openSUSE:Leap 15.3) 2.39-150100.7.40.1; cross-aarch64-binutils (openSUSE:Leap 15.3) 2.39-150100.7.40.1.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to binutils (Debian:12) 2.37.50.20220106-1; binutils (openSUSE:Leap 15.3) 2.39-150100.7.40.1; cross-aarch64-binutils (openSUSE:Leap 15.3) 2.39-150100.7.40.1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

stab_xcoff_builtin_type in stabs.c in GNU Binutils through 2.37 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) or possibly have unspecified other impact, as demonstrated by an out-of-bounds write. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2018-12699.

Published
Dec 15, 2021
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
1.4% · 73th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 1.4%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2021-45078

When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
gnubinutils
fedoraprojectfedora
redhatenterprise linux
debiandebian linux
netappontap select deploy administration utility

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • debian debian linux11.0
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • fedoraproject fedora34
  • fedoraproject fedora35
  • gnu binutilsup to 2.37 inclusive
  • netapp ontap select deploy administration utilityall versions
  • redhat enterprise linux8.0

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12binutilsbefore 2.37.50.20220106-12.37.50.20220106-1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-aarch64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-arm-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-avr-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-epiphany-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-hppa-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-hppa64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-i386-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-ia64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-m68k-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-mips-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-ppc-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-ppc64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-ppc64le-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-riscv64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-rx-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-s390-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-s390x-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-sparc-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-sparc64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-spu-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3cross-x86_64-binutilsbefore 2.39-150100.7.40.12.39-150100.7.40.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedbinutilsbefore 2.39-2.12.39-2.1

+4

Same product

gnu: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2018-12699finish_stab in stabs.c in GNU Binutils 2.30 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) or possibly have…
    40Plan
  • CVE-2017-7614elflink.c in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.28, has a "member access within null…
    40Plan
  • CVE-2014-9939ihex.c in GNU Binutils before 2.26 contains a stack buffer overflow when printing bad bytes in Intel Hex objects.
    40Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-3530Jun 2, 2021 · A flaw was discovered in GNU libiberty within demangle_path() in rust-demangle.c, as distributed in GNU Binutils version 2.36.
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-37322Nov 18, 2021 · GCC c++filt v2.26 was discovered to contain a use-after-free vulnerability via the component cplus-dem.c.
    31Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2022-38533Aug 26, 2022 · In GNU Binutils before 2.40, there is a heap-buffer-overflow in the error function bfd_getl32 when called from the strip_main function in…
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:binutils2.37.50.20220106-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-aarch64-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-arm-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-avr-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-epiphany-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-hppa-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-hppa64-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-i386-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-ia64-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-m68k-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-mips-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:cross-ppc-binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
suse:binutils2.39-150100.7.40.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3Package registry (OSV)
suse:cross-ppc-binutils2.39-9.50.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:cross-spu-binutils2.39-9.50.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-787 · Out-of-bounds Write

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

References

Show all references (4 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records