CVE-2017-9778
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A...
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
CVE-2017-9778- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
CVE-2017-9778- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2017-18708 No score
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
EUVD-2017-18708- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-hmmq-v5m7-8j9w
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A...
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
GHSA-hmmq-v5m7-8j9w- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
CVE-2017-9778- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2017-9778
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2017-9778- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2017-9778
GNU Debugger (GDB) 8.0 and earlier fails to detect a negative length field in a DWARF section. A malformed section in an ELF binary or a core file can cause GDB to repeatedly allocate memory until a process limit is reached. This can, for example, impede efforts to analyze malware with GDB.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2017-9778- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
gdbDebian:12 |
before 8.3.1-1 | 8.3.1-1 |
gdbDebian:13 |
before 8.3.1-1 | 8.3.1-1 |
gdbDebian:14 |
before 8.3.1-1 | 8.3.1-1 |
gdbUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 7.10-1ubuntu27.10-1ubuntu37.10.1-0ubuntu17.10.90.20160215-0ubuntu27.10.90.20160220-0ubuntu1 Show 4 moreShow less7.11-0ubuntu17.11.1-0ubuntu1~16.047.11.1-0ubuntu1~16.57.11.1-0ubuntu1~16.5+esm1 |
None known |
gdbUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 8.0.1-0ubuntu18.0.1-0ubuntu28.0.1-0ubuntu38.1-0ubuntu18.1-0ubuntu2 Show 5 moreShow less8.1-0ubuntu38.1-0ubuntu3.18.1-0ubuntu3.28.1.1-0ubuntu18.1.1-0ubuntu1+esm1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2017-9778 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Gnu Gdb, published June 21, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.11%, the 66th percentile. Fixed in gdb 8.3.1-1.