Comment # 5 on bug 1190058 from Jiri Slaby

There is a size check in load_elf_phdrs():
        size = sizeof(struct elf_phdr) * elf_ex->e_phnum;
        if (size == 0 || size > 65536 || size > ELF_MIN_ALIGN) {

and then elf_read() would fail if it was too large:
        retval = elf_read(elf_file, elf_phdata, size, elf_ex->e_phoff);

So this was likely really a memory corruption. If it ever happens again, feel
free to reopen.