CVE-2026-16768
Received Received - Intake

Heap Out-of-Bounds Read in Gdk-Pixbuf ICO Parsing

Publication date: 2026-07-23

Last updated on: 2026-07-23

Assigner: Red Hat, Inc.

Description
A flaw was found in gdk-pixbuf. When parsing a specially crafted ICO file with pixel values that exceed the defined palette range, an out-of-bounds read can occur due to improper bounds checking against the actual palette size. This vulnerability causes heap bytes to be interpreted as valid palette indices and rendered as RGB pixel values in the output image, allowing an attacker to extract heap content via the generated output, such as a thumbnail.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-07-23
Last Modified
2026-07-23
Generated
2026-07-23
AI Q&A
2026-07-23
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-16768
EUVD
EUVD-2026-48315

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
gnome gdk_pixbuf *
gnome gdk_pixbuf From 0 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-125 The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-16768 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in gdk-pixbuf, a graphics library for image processing. When parsing a specially crafted ICO file with pixel values exceeding the palette range, the library fails to validate bounds against the actual palette size. This causes heap memory to be misinterpreted as valid palette indices, leading to potential exposure of sensitive data in the output image.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for affected versions of gdk-pixbuf and analyzing ICO file processing. Use commands like 'rpm -q gdk-pixbuf' or 'dpkg -l libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0' to check installed versions. Monitor logs for crashes or unusual image processing errors when handling ICO files.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this flaw to extract sensitive heap content, such as memory addresses or other data, by generating an image file that triggers the vulnerability. This could lead to information disclosure if the affected system processes malicious ICO files.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could potentially affect compliance with GDPR and HIPAA by enabling unauthorized data exposure. An attacker could extract sensitive heap content through manipulated image outputs, which may include personal or protected health information if processed by affected systems. Unauthorized data exposure violates GDPR's data protection principles and HIPAA's confidentiality requirements.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update gdk-pixbuf to the latest patched version. Avoid processing untrusted ICO files until patched. Implement network monitoring for suspicious image file transfers. If no patch is available, consider disabling ICO file parsing in applications using gdk-pixbuf.

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