# CVE-2026-6844: Binutils: binutils: denial of service vulnerabilities in readelf via crafted elf files

Status: published. Published: 2026-04-22. Updated: 2026-11-05.

A flaw was found in the `readelf` utility of the binutils package. A local attacker could exploit two Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerabilities by providing a specially crafted Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) file. One vulnerability, a resource exhaustion (CWE-400), can lead to an out-of-memory condition. The other, a null pointer dereference (CWE-476), can cause a segmentation fault. Both issues can result in the `readelf` utility becoming unresponsive or crashing, leading to a denial of service.

## Remediation

- workaround: To mitigate this vulnerability, users should avoid using the `readelf` utility on untrusted or suspicious ELF files. Processing a specially crafted ELF file with `readelf` can lead to a denial of service. (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- 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 (gdb): 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 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-14-gdb): 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 (gcc-toolset-15-gdb): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (gdb): 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 (gdb): 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 Hardened Images (binutils): 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

## 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

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.10% as of 2026-11-05; percentile 1.02%

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

- Weaknesses: CWE-400

## Exploit evidence

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-6844 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2460016 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-6844; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated 2026-11-05

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-6844; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated Not reported

Revision: db44de7a89422a43f1db0142d89a1c749d18a389052efb0938dc3bcb162dd1e5

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-6844

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