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CVE-2020-16593 GNU Binutils

Affected softwareGNU Binutils
Severity5.5 Medium CVSS 3.1 2 scores
WeaknessCWE-476
Published9 Dec 2020
Updated17 Jun 2026

Description

A Null Pointer Dereference vulnerability exists in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.35, in scan_unit_for_symbols, as demonstrated in addr2line, that can cause a denial of service via a crafted file.

Exploitation status

No public exploit

No exploit has been reported in the sources we check. Published 5 years ago.

  • CISA KEV not listed
  • VulnCheck KEV not listed
  • CISA Vulnrichment no assessment published
  • Indexed PoC none indexed
  • EPSS 1.2% chance in 30 days

Waratek protection

Outside Waratek scope

A Java vulnerability, but not one Waratek protects. It affects only Java on a user's desktop (applets, Web Start, JavaFX, the installer), sits in a product the Waratek agent can't be installed into, or is in a package we don't expect in business applications. The decision below says which.

  • Protection none
  • Action not pursued none
  • Review automated Upstream data
  • Record active
Decided by The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached
Finding This CVE names only products the Waratek agent cannot be installed into (netapp/cloud_backup, netapp/solidfire_\&_hci_management_node). They ship as sealed appliance images or as native code with no application JVM, so there is no start-up line to add -javaagent to. The vulnerability may well be a Java one; it is permanently out of ARMR's reach rather than outside its subject.

CVSS

5.5 MEDIUM v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H 2 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

VersionScoreBandVectorAssignerType
CVSS 3.1 5.5 MEDIUM CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H NVD Primary published
CVSS 2.0 4.3 none AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P NVD Primary

Affected software and releases

Products and versions

4 products, 4 version entries
SourceVendorProductSchemeAffected versions
nvd gnu binutils generic 2.35
nvd netapp cloud backup generic any version
nvd netapp ontap select deploy administration utility generic any version
nvd netapp solidfire \& hci management node generic any version

References

URLTags
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210122-0003/ Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=25827 Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=aec72fda3b320c36eb99fc1c4cf95b10fc026729

Timeline

Published2020-12-09By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified2026-06-17NVD's own last-modified date for this record.