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CVE-2018-3838· NVD / CVE Program· CNA talos

An exploitable information vulnerability exists in the XCF image rendering functionality of Simple DirectMedia Layer SDL2_image-2.0.2.

An exploitable information vulnerability exists in the XCF image rendering functionality of Simple DirectMedia Layer SDL2_image-2.0.2. A specially crafted XCF image can cause an out-of-bounds read on the heap, resulting in information disclosure. An attacker can display a specially crafted image to trigger this vulnerability.

MediumCVSS 6.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Apr 10, 2018
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
1.8% · 78th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

27

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
26 / 40 · 6.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 1.8%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
6.5
CNA · talos
5.3
1.2 point gap

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
libsdlsdl image
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux8.0
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • libsdl sdl image2.0.2

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (talos). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Cisco Systems, Inc. Simple DirectMedia

    • Simple DirectMedia Layer SDL2_image 2.0.2affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Alpine:v3.5sdl2_imagebefore 2.0.1-r22.0.1-r2
Alpine:v3.7sdl2_imagebefore 2.0.2-r12.0.2-r1
Debian:12libsdl2-imagebefore 2.0.3+dfsg1-12.0.3+dfsg1-1
Debian:12sdl-image1.2before 1.2.12-81.2.12-8
Debian:7sdl-image1.2before 1.2.12-2+deb7u21.2.12-2+deb7u2
Debian:8libsdl2-imagebefore 2.0.0+dfsg-3+deb8u12.0.0+dfsg-3+deb8u1
Debian:8sdl-image1.2before 1.2.12-5+deb8u11.2.12-5+deb8u1
Debian:9libsdl2-imagebefore 2.0.1+dfsg-2+deb9u12.0.1+dfsg-2+deb9u1
Debian:9sdl-image1.2before 1.2.12-5+deb9u11.2.12-5+deb9u1

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2018-3977An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the XCF image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.3.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2017-14448An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the XCF image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.2.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2017-14442An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the BMP image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.2.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2017-14441An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the ICO image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.2.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2017-14440An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the ILBM image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.2.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2017-12122An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the ILBM image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.2.
    36Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
alpine:sdl2_image2.0.1-r2 · Alpine:v3.5Package registry (OSV)
debian:libsdl2-image2.0.3+dfsg1-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
debian:sdl-image1.21.2.12-8 · Debian:12Package 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.

EPSS, last 120 days

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.

Finders, 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

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds Read

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

ATT&CK techniques

—

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

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Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records