diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/util/elf.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/util/elf.py
index 465985fb26d..f2fd00c44ad 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/util/elf.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/util/elf.py
@@ -201,3 +201,15 @@ def test_drop_redundant_rpath(tmpdir, binary_with_rpaths):
     new_rpaths = elf.get_rpaths(binary)
     assert set(existing_dirs).issubset(new_rpaths)
     assert set(non_existing_dirs).isdisjoint(new_rpaths)
+
+
+def test_elf_invalid_e_shnum(tmp_path):
+    # from llvm/test/Object/Inputs/invalid-e_shnum.elf
+    path = tmp_path / "invalid-e_shnum.elf"
+    with open(path, "wb") as file:
+        file.write(
+            b"\x7fELF\x02\x010000000000\x03\x00>\x0000000000000000000000"
+            b"\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x000000000000@\x000000"
+        )
+    with open(path, "rb") as file, pytest.raises(elf.ElfParsingError):
+        elf.parse_elf(file)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/util/elf.py b/lib/spack/spack/util/elf.py
index 44660307043..ceeb6ef4ab6 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/util/elf.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/util/elf.py
@@ -195,7 +195,10 @@ def parse_program_headers(f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile) -> None:
         elf: ELF file parser data
     """
     # Forward to the program header
-    f.seek(elf.elf_hdr.e_phoff)
+    try:
+        f.seek(elf.elf_hdr.e_phoff)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to program header")
 
     # Here we have to make a mapping from virtual address to offset in the file.
     ph_fmt = elf.byte_order + ("LLQQQQQQ" if elf.is_64_bit else "LLLLLLLL")
@@ -245,7 +248,10 @@ def parse_pt_interp(f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile) -> None:
         f: file handle
         elf: ELF file parser data
     """
-    f.seek(elf.pt_interp_p_offset)
+    try:
+        f.seek(elf.pt_interp_p_offset)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to PT_INTERP entry")
     data = read_exactly(f, elf.pt_interp_p_filesz, "Malformed PT_INTERP entry")
     elf.pt_interp_str = parse_c_string(data)
 
@@ -264,7 +270,10 @@ def find_strtab_size_at_offset(f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile, offset: int) -> int:
     """
     section_hdr_fmt = elf.byte_order + ("LLQQQQLLQQ" if elf.is_64_bit else "LLLLLLLLLL")
     section_hdr_size = calcsize(section_hdr_fmt)
-    f.seek(elf.elf_hdr.e_shoff)
+    try:
+        f.seek(elf.elf_hdr.e_shoff)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to section header table")
     for _ in range(elf.elf_hdr.e_shnum):
         data = read_exactly(f, section_hdr_size, "Malformed section header")
         sh = SectionHeader(*unpack(section_hdr_fmt, data))
@@ -286,7 +295,10 @@ def retrieve_strtab(f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile, offset: int) -> bytes:
     Returns: file offset
     """
     size = find_strtab_size_at_offset(f, elf, offset)
-    f.seek(offset)
+    try:
+        f.seek(offset)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to string table")
     return read_exactly(f, size, "Could not read string table")
 
 
@@ -319,7 +331,10 @@ def parse_pt_dynamic(f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile) -> None:
     count_runpath = 0
     count_strtab = 0
 
-    f.seek(elf.pt_dynamic_p_offset)
+    try:
+        f.seek(elf.pt_dynamic_p_offset)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to PT_DYNAMIC entry")
 
     # In case of broken ELF files, don't read beyond the advertized size.
     for _ in range(elf.pt_dynamic_p_filesz // dynamic_array_size):
@@ -478,7 +493,10 @@ def get_interpreter(path: str) -> Optional[str]:
 def _delete_dynamic_array_entry(
     f: BinaryIO, elf: ElfFile, should_delete: Callable[[int, int], bool]
 ) -> None:
-    f.seek(elf.pt_dynamic_p_offset)
+    try:
+        f.seek(elf.pt_dynamic_p_offset)
+    except OSError:
+        raise ElfParsingError("Could not seek to PT_DYNAMIC entry")
     dynamic_array_fmt = elf.byte_order + ("qQ" if elf.is_64_bit else "lL")
     dynamic_array_size = calcsize(dynamic_array_fmt)
     new_offset = elf.pt_dynamic_p_offset  # points to the new dynamic array