Array index error in the t42_parse_sfnts function in type42/t42parse.c in FreeType before 2.4.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 29/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 5.8% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 93% of all records.
- Fixed version: freetype (Debian:12) 2.4.2-1; freetype (Debian:5.0) 2.3.7-2+lenny3; freetype (Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as) 0:2.1.4-18.el3.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to freetype (Debian:12) 2.4.2-1; freetype (Debian:5.0) 2.3.7-2+lenny3; freetype (Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as) 0:2.1.4-18.el3 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Array index error in the t42_parse_sfnts function in type42/t42parse.c in FreeType before 2.4.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via negative size values for certain strings in FontType42 font files, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow.
- Published
- Aug 19, 2010
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 5.8% · 93th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-129
Report tools
Action score
29
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 27 / 40 · 6.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 5.8%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| freetype | freetype | cpe:2.3:a:freetype:freetype |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| apple | iphone os | cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os |
| apple | mac os x | cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x |
| apple | tvos | cpe:2.3:o:apple:tvos |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apple iphone osbefore 4.2
- apple mac os xbefore 10.6.5
- apple tvosbefore 4.1.0
- canonical ubuntu linux10.04
- canonical ubuntu linux6.06
- canonical ubuntu linux8.04
- canonical ubuntu linux9.04
- canonical ubuntu linux9.10
- freetype freetypebefore 2.4.2
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | freetype | before 2.4.2-1 | 2.4.2-1 |
| Debian:5.0 | freetype | before 2.3.7-2+lenny3 | 2.3.7-2+lenny3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | freetype | before 0:2.1.4-18.el3 | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | freetype-debuginfo | before 0:2.1.4-18.el3 | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | freetype-devel | before 0:2.1.4-18.el3 | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | freetype | before 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | freetype-debuginfo | before 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | freetype-demos | before 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | freetype-devel | before 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | freetype-utils | before 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | freetype | before 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 | 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | freetype-debuginfo | before 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 | 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | freetype-demos | before 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 | 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | freetype-devel | before 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 | 0:2.2.1-28.el5_5 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | freetype | before 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 | 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | freetype-debuginfo | before 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 | 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | freetype-demos | before 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 | 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | freetype-devel | before 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 | 0:2.3.11-6.el6_0.1 |
Same product
freetype: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-27363An out of bounds write exists in FreeType versions 2.13.0 and below (newer versions of FreeType are not vulnerable) when attempting to parseKEV70This week
- CVE-2012-1126FreeType before 2.4.9, as used in Mozilla Firefox Mobile before 10.0.4 and other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of serv42Plan
- CVE-2022-27404FreeType commit 1e2eb65048f75c64b68708efed6ce904c31f3b2f was discovered to contain a heap buffer overflow via the function sfnt_init_face.40Plan
- CVE-2015-9290In FreeType before 2.6.1, a buffer over-read occurs in type1/t1parse.c on function T1_Get_Private_Dict where there is no check that the new 40Plan
- CVE-2017-8287FreeType 2 before 2017-03-26 has an out-of-bounds write caused by a heap-based buffer overflow related to the t1_builder_close_contour funct40Plan
- CVE-2017-8105FreeType 2 before 2017-03-24 has an out-of-bounds write caused by a heap-based buffer overflow related to the t1_decoder_parse_charstrings f40Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:freetype | 2.4.2-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:freetype | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:freetype-debuginfo | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:freetype-demos | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:freetype-devel | 0:2.1.4-18.el3 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:freetype-utils | 0:2.1.9-17.el4.8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
If successful
- Confidentiality
- P · data can be read
- Integrity
- P · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- P · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- M
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-129 · Improper Validation of Array IndexCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (19 more)Show less
- git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/freetype/freetype2.git/commit/?id=c06da1ad34663da7b6fc39b030dc3ae185b96557
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Nov/msg00000.html
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Nov/msg00003.html
- marc.info/?l=oss-security&m=128111955616772&w=2
- secunia.com/advisories/40816
- secunia.com/advisories/40982
- secunia.com/advisories/42314
- secunia.com/advisories/42317
- sourceforge.net/projects/freetype/files/freetype2/2.4.2/NEWS/view
- support.apple.com/kb/HT4435
- support.apple.com/kb/HT4456
- support.apple.com/kb/HT4457
- www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0864.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/42285
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-972-1
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/2018
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/2106
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/3045
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/3046
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.