CVE-2020-16591 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A Denial of Service vulnerability exists in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) in GNU Binutils 2.35 due to an invalid read in process_symbol_table, as demonstrated in readeif.

Understanding CVE-2020-16591

This CVE involves a Denial of Service vulnerability in GNU Binutils 2.35 due to an invalid read in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD).

What is CVE-2020-16591?

The vulnerability in GNU Binutils 2.35 allows for a Denial of Service attack due to an invalid read in process_symbol_table.

The Impact of CVE-2020-16591

The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to cause a Denial of Service condition on the affected system.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-16591

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is caused by an invalid read in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) in GNU Binutils 2.35.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: GNU Binutils 2.35
Version: All versions are affected

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited through the process_symbol_table, as demonstrated in readeif.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-16591.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor patches or updates as soon as they are available.
Monitor security advisories for any new information on this vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and systems to the latest versions.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent DoS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure Binutils 2.35 is updated with the latest security patches to address this vulnerability.