CVE-2020-16593

Name: CVE-2020-16593
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-12-09T21:15:15.243+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 1.18%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-16593 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. A Null Pointer Dereference vulnerability exists in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.35, in scan_unit_for_symbols, as demonstrated in addr2line, that can cause a denial of service via a crafted file.. EPSS estimates a 1.18% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A Null Pointer Dereference vulnerability exists in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library (aka libbfd), as distributed in GNU Binutils 2.35, in scan_unit_for_symbols, as demonstrated in addr2line, that can cause a denial of service via a crafted file.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.18%

63.8th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-476

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Gnu	Binutils	2.35
Netapp	Cloud Backup	All versions
Netapp	Ontap Select Deploy Administration Utility	All versions
Netapp	Solidfire \& Hci Management Node	All versions

References

https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210122-0003/Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=25827Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=aec72fda3b320c36eb99fc1c4cf95b10fc026729
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210122-0003/Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=25827Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://sourceware.org/git/gitweb.cgi?p=binutils-gdb.git%3Bh=aec72fda3b320c36eb99fc1c4cf95b10fc026729

Timeline

Published: Dec 9, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-16593?

How severe is CVE-2020-16593?

CVE-2020-16593 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.18% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-16593?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2020-16593?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST