# CVE-2026-19548: Binutils: binutils: multiple use-after-free in add_archive_element via lto plugin processing

Status: published. Published: 2026-08-12. Updated: 2026-11-06.

Multiple Use-After-Free vulnerabilities were found in the add_archive_element function in ld/ldmain.c of the GNU linker (ld), a component of binutils. The root cause is that plugin_maybe_claim() in ld/plugin.c frees the original BFD object via bfd_close/_bfd_delete_bfd when entry->the_bfd->my_archive == NULL, but the caller retains both the original abfd parameter and a shallow copy (orig_input.the_bfd) as dangling pointers. These dangling pointers are subsequently dereferenced at three distinct locations in add_archive_element:

1. Line ~1442: accessing abfd->my_archive via bfd_usrdata(abfd->my_archive)
2. Line ~1493: multiple accesses to abfd and abfd->my_archive in a conditional check and bfd_get_filename call
3. Line ~1525: dereferencing the shallow copy orig_input.the_bfd->my_archive in trace/verbose logging

The vulnerability is triggered when LTO plugins are active (link_info.lto_plugin_active is true) and the input object has abfd->my_archive == NULL, which is a valid state for standalone object files. Red Hat builds binutils with --enable-plugins and --enable-lto, confirming the vulnerable code path is compiled in and reachable.

An attacker who can supply a crafted object or archive file to a build process using LTO-enabled linking could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of service (linker crash via segmentation fault). Arbitrary code execution is theoretically possible through heap manipulation but is substantially mitigated by hardening measures including stack protector, FORTIFY_SOURCE, ASLR, and PIE.

The attack surface is limited to build-time environments — the linker is a development tool not exposed in production runtime. The most realistic exploitation scenario is a supply chain attack introducing a crafted object file as a build dependency in CI/CD pipelines or development environments.

## Remediation

- workaround: Build environments should avoid running LTO-enabled linking (ld with plugin support) against untrusted or externally-supplied object and archive files. The linker is a build-time tool, not present in production runtimes, so the realistic exposure is to CI/CD pipelines and developer workstations that build from untrusted or externally-contributed sources (supply-chain style attack). Standard hardening measures (ASLR, stack protector, FORTIFY_SOURCE, PIE) substantially reduce the likelihood of arbitrary code execution via heap manipulation, limiting the more realistic impact to a linker crash (denial of service). (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Hardened Images (binutils-main): ≥ 2.46.1-1.4.hum1; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 (binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 (gcc-toolset-15-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 (gcc-toolset-16-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 (mingw-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (gcc-toolset-14-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (gcc-toolset-15-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (mingw-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (gcc-toolset-14-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (gcc-toolset-15-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (gcc-toolset-16-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (mingw-binutils): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) (rhoai/odh-dashboard-rhel9): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 (openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-8): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 (openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-9): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 (openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-9): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## NVD configuration conditions

Affected CPE matches depend on the following AND/OR and negation conditions:

```json
[
  {
    "negate": false,
    "nodes": [
      {
        "cpeMatch": [
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:redhat:hardened_images:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "vulnerable": true
          }
        ],
        "negate": false,
        "operator": "OR"
      }
    ],
    "operator": "OR"
  }
]
```

## Severity and prioritization

- 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; source: CNA: redhat

- 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; source: NVD: secalert@redhat.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.17% as of 2026-11-05; percentile 6.05%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-416

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:82359 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-19548 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2507832 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:82359 (secalert@redhat.com)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-19548 (secalert@redhat.com; Vendor Advisory)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2507832 (secalert@redhat.com; Issue Tracking)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-19548; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated 2026-11-06

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-19548; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated 2026-11-05

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-19548; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated Not reported

Revision: bab1662bd3c0f26ee88b5cd99bd6e15c6e878e6cf4e91656e2709ff959d36848

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-19548

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