# CVE-2026-91779: GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in eh_frame section offset

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91779-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-eh-frame-section-offset  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-15. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-91779 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.3 · Published 2026-09-15

GNU Binutils is a critical toolchain component used by developers to link and process compiled object files. A malformed object file can crash the linker (ld) during a relocatable link operation, causing build failures and service interruptions. Build systems and CI pipelines that process untrusted object files are vulnerable to denial-of-service attacks.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-91779 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-91779 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-91779?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.3, published 15 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gnu Binutils 2.47 and related development snapshots (commit 640a79623 and later).

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-91779?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-91779 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-91779?** 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

A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the _bfd_elf_eh_frame_section_offset() function in bfd/elf-eh-frame.c. During a relocatable link (ld -r), the final link stage queries section offsets for .eh_frame relocations; when the input .eh_frame section is malformed, the CIE/FDE parsing state becomes inconsistent, and a null pointer (cie_inf) is dereferenced at offset 0xa, crashing the linker. The attack requires the ability to provide a crafted object file to the linker—typically a local attack surface, but exploitable remotely in scenarios where build systems process untrusted input. The vulnerability affects GNU Binutils 2.47 and related development snapshots; no upstream fix was available as of the report date (2026-08-16).

## Affected products

- GNU Binutils 2.47 and related development snapshots (commit 640a79623 and later)

## Timeline

- 2026-07-28: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to upstream GNU Binutils project
- 2026-09-15: advisory: CVE-2026-91779 published

## References

- [https://github.com/Ech06/CVE_submit/blob/main/bugzilla/issues/34446.md](https://github.com/Ech06/CVE_submit/blob/main/bugzilla/issues/34446.md)
- [https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=34446](https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=34446)

## 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 memory corruption in ELF string table handling](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90831-gnu-binutils-memory-corruption-in-elf-string-table-handling)
- [GNU Binutils null pointer dereference in section merge](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90830-gnu-binutils-null-pointer-dereference-in-section-merge)