CVE-2017-17122

What it actually does

Integer overflow in reloc count handling within dump_relocs_in_section allows excessive memory allocation or heap buffer overflow when objdump processes a crafted PE binary.

Why it matters to the business

Crashes or potential code execution in binary analysis tooling can interrupt build pipelines, malware research, or automated scanning workflows; the issue has been public for years with available exploits but remains low-prevalence.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker constructs a PE file containing reloc entries engineered to trigger an integer overflow, then supplies the file to objdump (directly or via automated tooling); the resulting overflow leads to memory corruption or resource exhaustion.

How to fix it

Upgrade the affected package to the fixed version grafana-fips-10.3 (Chainguard) 10.3.6-r3 or later; rebuild any containers or images that embed the vulnerable Binutils component.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the installed version of objdump or the containing package reports 10.3.6-r3 or newer; re-test with known triggering PE samples in a controlled environment.

Typical attack path

1. Craft PE file with oversized or malformed reloc counts
2. Deliver file to target environment or user
3. Invoke objdump (or dependent tool) against the file
4. Trigger integer overflow during section relocation dump
5. Achieve denial of service or attempt further memory corruption

How to detect it

Review process execution logs and crash reports for objdump invocations on untrusted PE files; look for sudden memory spikes or segmentation faults during relocation processing in build or forensic systems.

What your security team should do

• Apply the 10.3.6-r3 update immediately on all build, CI, and analysis hosts
• Scan internal artifact repositories for binaries built with the vulnerable objdump
• Add objdump version checks to container image scanning policies
• Monitor EPSS and exploit availability for any future increase in observed activity