# CVE-2026-90828: GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in ELF orphan section handler

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90828-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-elf-orphan-section  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-14. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-90828 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-09-14

GNU Binutils is a collection of tools used by software developers and compiler toolchains to manipulate binary files. A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the ELF orphan section handler can crash the linker when processing malformed object files during relocatable linking, potentially disrupting the build process and enabling denial-of-service attacks against build infrastructure.

Technologies: [Gnu Binutils](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/binutils). Vendors: [Gnu](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gnu).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-90828 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-90828 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-90828?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 14 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gnu Binutils 2.47, earlier versions back to at least 2.41.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-90828?** A patch was published on 2026-09-22: Fix committed to master branch for Binutils 2.48 by Alan Modra Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-90828 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-90828?** Check whether you run Gnu Binutils at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is a null pointer dereference in the elf_orphan_compatible() function in ld/ldelf.c (line 2092). It occurs during relocatable linking (-r flag) when processing malformed input sections that become orphans without a compatible output section. The function dereferences a NULL linked_to pointer without sanity-checking it first, assuming that the SHF_LINK_ORDER flag guarantees the pointer is valid. The attack is local and triggered by providing a crafted object file as input to the linker. An attacker can cause a segmentation fault and crash the linker process. The fix, committed by Alan Modra on 2026-09-22, adds a NULL pointer check before dereferencing the linked_to field.

## Affected products

- GNU Binutils 2.47, earlier versions back to at least 2.41

## Timeline

- 2026-07-28: disclosed: Reported to Sourceware Bugzilla as bug #34450
- 2026-09-14: advisory: CVE-2026-90828 published
- 2026-09-22: patched: Fix committed to master branch for Binutils 2.48 by Alan Modra

## References

- [https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=16882](https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=16882)
- [https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=34450](https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=34450)

## Related threats

- [GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in dynamic relocation allocation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91782-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-dynamic-relocation)
- [GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in ELF section handler](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91781-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-elf-section-handler)
- [GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in ELF linker](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91780-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-elf-linker)
- [GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in eh_frame section offset](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91779-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-eh-frame-section-offset)
- [GNU Binutils memory corruption in ELF string table handling](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90831-gnu-binutils-memory-corruption-in-elf-string-table-handling)