CVE-2025-11081 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in GNU Binutils version 2.45, specifically within the dump_dwarf_section function of the objdump.c source file. The vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds read error, which occurs when the function improperly handles data manipulation, leading to reading memory outside the intended buffer boundaries. This flaw is exploitable only with local access, requiring the attacker to have at least limited privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or elevated privileges beyond local access, and it does not impact confidentiality, integrity, or availability directly but can potentially lead to information disclosure or application crashes. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.8 score, reflecting its medium severity, with the attack vector being local (AV:L), low complexity (AC:L), no privileges required beyond local access (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability is not known to be exploited in the wild yet, but a public exploit has been released, increasing the risk of exploitation. A patch identified by commit f87a66db645caf8cc0e6fc87b0c28c78a38af59b has been made available to address this issue. GNU Binutils is a widely used collection of binary tools essential for software development and system maintenance, including linking, assembling, and debugging. The dump_dwarf_section function is involved in processing DWARF debugging information, which is critical for debugging and analysis tools. An out-of-bounds read in this context could lead to application crashes or unintended disclosure of memory contents, potentially aiding further exploitation or information gathering by an attacker with local access.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-11081 is primarily relevant in environments where GNU Binutils 2.45 is deployed, particularly in development, build, and debugging systems. While the vulnerability requires local access, it could be leveraged by malicious insiders or attackers who have compromised lower-privileged accounts to escalate their capabilities or gather sensitive information from memory. The out-of-bounds read could cause application instability or crashes, potentially disrupting development workflows or automated build pipelines. In critical infrastructure sectors or organizations relying heavily on software development and debugging tools, this could lead to operational delays or increased risk of further exploitation. However, since the vulnerability does not allow remote exploitation or privilege escalation by itself, the direct risk to production systems exposed to external networks is limited. Nonetheless, the presence of a public exploit increases the urgency for patching to prevent opportunistic attacks in environments where local access can be obtained, such as shared development servers or multi-user systems common in European enterprises.

European organizations should prioritize applying the official patch identified by commit f87a66db645caf8cc0e6fc87b0c28c78a38af59b to all systems running GNU Binutils 2.45. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict access controls and monitoring on systems where Binutils is installed, limiting local user access to trusted personnel only. Implementing robust user account management and auditing can help detect unauthorized local access attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider isolating build and development environments from general user systems to reduce the attack surface. Employing runtime protections such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and memory protection mechanisms can help mitigate the impact of out-of-bounds reads. Regularly scanning systems for outdated Binutils versions and integrating vulnerability management processes to track and remediate such issues promptly will further reduce risk. Finally, educating developers and system administrators about the risks of local vulnerabilities and the importance of timely patching is essential.