The flaw is a heap‑buffer‑overflow read (CWE‑125) in the GNU Binutils linker that processes a specially crafted 32‑bit XCOFF object file. When a malicious file is linked, the linker reads past the end of a buffer, exposing bytes from adjacent memory and potentially leaking sensitive data. The same overflow can also terminate the linker, causing a denial‑of‑service. The attacker must supply the crafted object file to trigger the vulnerability.

The vulnerability affects the GNU Binutils component delivered with Red Hat Enterprise Linux releases 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, as well as Red Hat Hardened Images and OpenShift Container Platform 4. The precise version ranges are not listed, so any installation that contains the affected Binutils package may be vulnerable.

The CVSS score of 5.6 reflects a medium severity, and the EPSS score of < 1 % indicates a very low exploitation probability. The vulnerability is not included in the CISA KEV catalog. Because the linker only processes object files supplied by the invocation user, the attack vector is local; an attacker must be able to run the linker with a crafted file in a trusted or privileged environment. Consequently, the risk is moderate and primarily relevant to build systems or users with elevated privileges.