Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2021-29457: Heap buffer overflow in Exiv2::Jp2Image::doWriteMetadata

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 32/100)

  • 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: 2.1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 82.4% of all records.
  • Someone with local access to the system 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.
  • Fixed version: exiv2 (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8; exiv2-devel (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8; exiv2-doc (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to exiv2 (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8; exiv2-devel (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8; exiv2-doc (AlmaLinux:8) 0.27.4-5.el8 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

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. A heap buffer overflow was found in Exiv2 versions v0.27.3 and earlier. The heap overflow is triggered when Exiv2 is used to write metadata into a crafted image file. An attacker could potentially exploit the vulnerability to gain code execution, if they can trick the victim into running Exiv2 on a crafted image file. Note that this bug is only triggered when _writing_ the metadata, which is a less frequently used Exiv2 operation than _reading_ the metadata. For example, to trigger the bug in the Exiv2 command-line application, you need to add an extra command-line argument such as `insert`. The bug is fixed in version v0.27.4.

Published
Apr 19, 2021
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
2.1% · 82th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

32

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 2.1%

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.

Follow CVE-2021-29457

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits every 10 minutes on paid plans, on the hour on the free plan.

Your free account also gets you

  • CVE alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools, at most 30 a day (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for exiv2 records
Is your version affected? Check it

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 help

Affected 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.

VendorProduct
exiv2exiv2
fedoraprojectfedora
debiandebian linux

Versions reported by the vendor

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

  • Exiv2 exiv2

    • < 0.27.4affected
Affected versions · NVD (5)

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

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • exiv2 exiv2before 0.27.4
  • fedoraproject fedora33
  • fedoraproject fedora34

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:8exiv2before 0.27.4-5.el80.27.4-5.el8
AlmaLinux:8exiv2-develbefore 0.27.4-5.el80.27.4-5.el8
AlmaLinux:8exiv2-docbefore 0.27.4-5.el80.27.4-5.el8
AlmaLinux:8exiv2-libsbefore 0.27.4-5.el80.27.4-5.el8
Alpine:v3.13exiv2before 0.27.3-r10.27.3-r1
Debian:10exiv2before 0.25-4+deb10u20.25-4+deb10u2
Debian:12exiv2before 0.27.3-3.10.27.3-3.1
Debian:9exiv2before 0.25-3.1+deb9u30.25-3.1+deb9u3
openSUSE:Leap 15.4exiv2before 0.27.5-150400.15.4.10.27.5-150400.15.4.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.4exiv2-0_26before 0.26-150400.9.16.10.26-150400.9.16.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedexiv2before 0.27.5-3.10.27.5-3.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamexiv2before 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamexiv2-debuginfobefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamexiv2-debugsourcebefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamexiv2-libsbefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamexiv2-libs-debuginfobefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbexiv2-develbefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbexiv2-docbefore 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
Rocky Linux:8exiv2before 0:0.27.4-5.el80:0.27.4-5.el8
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4exiv2before 0.27.5-150400.15.4.10.27.5-150400.15.4.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4exiv2-0_26before 0.26-150400.9.16.10.26-150400.9.16.1
SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 9exiv2before 0.23-12.18.10.23-12.18.1

Same product

exiv2: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2018-11531Exiv2 0.26 has a heap-based buffer overflow in getData in preview.cpp.
    40Plan
  • CVE-2019-9144An issue was discovered in Exiv2 0.27.
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2019-9143An issue was discovered in Exiv2 0.27.
    36Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2019-20421Jan 27, 2020 · In Jp2Image::readMetadata() in jp2image.cpp in Exiv2 0.27.2, an input file can result in an infinite loop and hang, with high CPU…
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-3482Apr 8, 2021 · A flaw was found in Exiv2 in versions before and including 0.27.4-RC1.
    27Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2021-29458Apr 19, 2021 · Out-of-bounds read in Exiv2::Internal::CrwMap::encode
    22Monitor

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
almalinux:exiv20.27.4-5.el8 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:exiv2-devel0.27.4-5.el8 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:exiv2-doc0.27.4-5.el8 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:exiv2-libs0.27.4-5.el8 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
alpine:exiv20.27.3-r1 · Alpine:v3.13Package registry (OSV)
debian:exiv20.27.3-3.1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:exiv20.27.5-150400.15.4.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:exiv2-0_260.26-150400.9.16.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4Package registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv20:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-debuginfo0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-debugsource0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-devel0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-doc0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-libs0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:exiv2-libs-debuginfo0:0.27.4-5.el8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:exiv20:0.27.4-5.el8 · Rocky Linux:8Package registry (OSV)
suse:exiv20.27.5-150400.15.4.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4Package registry (OSV)
suse:exiv2-0_260.26-150400.9.16.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4Package 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.

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system 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
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-122 · Heap-based Buffer Overflow

CVSS vector

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

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

—

References

Show all references (6 more)

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

All records