There is an open race window when writing output in the following utilities in GNU binutils version 2.35 and earlier:ar, objcopy, strip, ranlib. When these utilities are run as a privileged user (presumably as part of a script updating binaries across different users), an unprivileged user can trick these utilities into getting ownership of arbitrary files through a symlink.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.3, requiring local system access to exploit but requires specific conditions to be met without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), for affected systems. Impacting 6 products from gnu, from redhat, from netapp and 3 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2021, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2021-03-26T17:15:12.920
2025-12-03T15:15:46.777
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 6.3 (MEDIUM)
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
3.4
4.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | gnu | binutils | ≤ 2.35 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux | 8.0 | Yes |
| Application | netapp | cloud_backup | - | Yes |
| Application | netapp | ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility | - | Yes |
| Application | netapp | solidfire_\&_hci_management_node | - | Yes |
| Operating System | broadcom | brocade_fabric_operating_system_firmware | - | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For gnu's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.