Integer underflow in the exif_entry_get_value function in exif-entry.c in the EXIF Tag Parsing Library (aka libexif) 0.6.20 might allow remo
Integer underflow in the exif_entry_get_value function in exif-entry.c in the EXIF Tag Parsing Library (aka libexif) 0.6.20 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving a crafted buffer-size parameter during the formatting of an EXIF tag, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow.
- Published
- Jul 13, 2012
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 5.7% · 93th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-189
Sign in to follow · You’ll be notified if a followed record enters KEV, gets an exploit or is updated.
Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 5.7%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| libexif project | libexif | cpe:2.3:a:libexif_project:libexif |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- libexif project libexif0.6.20
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.10 | libexif | before 0.6.21-r0 | 0.6.21-r0 |
| Debian:12 | libexif | before 0.6.20-3 | 0.6.20-3 |
| Debian:6.0 | libexif | before 0.6.19-1+squeeze1 | 0.6.19-1+squeeze1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | libexif | before 0.6.21-10.8 | 0.6.21-10.8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | libexif | before 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | libexif-debuginfo | before 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | libexif-devel | before 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libexif | before 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 | 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libexif-debuginfo | before 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 | 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libexif-devel | before 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 | 0:0.6.21-5.el6_3 |
Same product
libexif project: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2020-13112An issue was discovered in libexif before 0.6.22.37Monitor
- CVE-2017-7544libexif through 0.6.21 is vulnerable to out-of-bounds heap read vulnerability in exif_data_save_data_entry function in libexif/exif-data.c c37Monitor
- CVE-2020-13113An issue was discovered in libexif before 0.6.22.33Monitor
- CVE-2016-6328A vulnerability was found in libexif.33Monitor
- CVE-2012-2840Off-by-one error in the exif_convert_utf16_to_utf8 function in exif-entry.c in the EXIF Tag Parsing Library (aka libexif) before 0.6.21 allo32Monitor
- CVE-2012-2814Buffer overflow in the exif_entry_format_value function in exif-entry.c in the EXIF Tag Parsing Library (aka libexif) 0.6.20 allows remote a32Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| alpine:libexif | 0.6.21-r0 · Alpine:v3.10 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:libexif | 0.6.20-3 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:libexif | 0.6.21-10.8 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libexif | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libexif-debuginfo | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libexif-devel | 0:0.6.21-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | 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.
No commit or PR link among the references.
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
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
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
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-189 · Numeric ErrorsCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:L/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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-07/msg00014.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-07/msg00015.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1255.html
- secunia.com/advisories/49988
- sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=29534027
- www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2559
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/54437
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1513-1
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.