CVE-2026-42169
Received Received - Intake

Heap Buffer Overflow in GIMP APNG Loader

Publication date: 2026-08-04

Last updated on: 2026-08-04

Assigner: Red Hat, Inc.

Description
A heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability exists in the APNG (Animated PNG) file loader of GIMP. This flaw occurs when the `fcTL` width exceeds the `IHDR` width, leading to pixel data being written past the end of a heap allocation. Additionally, a heap-based buffer overflow exists in the DDS plug-in due to a BPP mismatch in the `load_layer()` function. Both vulnerabilities can be triggered by opening a specially crafted image file, potentially leading to code execution.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-04
Last Modified
2026-08-04
Generated
2026-08-04
AI Q&A
2026-08-04
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-42169
EUVD
EUVD-2026-52573

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
gnome gimp *
gnome gimp_dds_plugin *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-131 The product does not correctly calculate the size to be used when allocating a buffer, which could lead to a buffer overflow.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability involves two heap-buffer-overflow flaws in GIMP's image processing. The first occurs in the APNG file loader when the animation frame width exceeds the base image width, causing pixel data to write past allocated memory. The second is in the DDS plugin due to a bits-per-pixel mismatch in the load_layer function. Both can be exploited by opening a malicious image file.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for vulnerable versions of GIMP and inspecting image files for malicious APNG or DDS content. Use package managers like 'dnf list installed gimp' or 'apt list --installed | grep gimp' to verify GIMP version. Monitor for crashes or memory corruption when opening images.

Impact Analysis

Exploiting this flaw could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on your system. This might lead to data theft, system compromise, or installation of malware. Simply opening a specially crafted image file could trigger the vulnerability.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could potentially lead to unauthorized code execution, which may result in data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information. Such incidents could violate compliance requirements under GDPR or HIPAA if personal or health data is exposed.

Mitigation Strategies

Update GIMP to the latest patched version immediately. Avoid opening untrusted APNG or DDS files until patched. Disable or remove the DDS plugin if not needed. Monitor security advisories for GIMP updates.

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