The png_format_buffer function in pngerror.c in libpng 1.0.x before 1.0.55, 1.2.x before 1.2.45, 1.4.x before 1.4.8, and 1.5.x before 1.5.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted PNG image that triggers an out-of-bounds read during the copying of error-message data. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of a CVE-2004-0421 regression. NOTE: this is called an off-by-one error by some sources.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity though user interaction is required and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 4 products from libpng, from fedoraproject, from debian and 1 other, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Documented in 2011, this vulnerability occurred amid the cloud computing expansion era, where traditional network perimeter security models were being reevaluated. Organizations were transitioning from isolated infrastructure to interconnected systems, creating new attack surfaces that vulnerabilities like this could exploit.
2011-07-17T20:55:01.483
2025-04-11T00:51:21.963
Deferred
CVSSv3.1: 6.5 (MEDIUM)
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
8.6
2.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | libpng | libpng | < 1.0.55 | Yes |
| Application | libpng | libpng | < 1.2.45 | Yes |
| Application | libpng | libpng | < 1.4.8 | Yes |
| Application | libpng | libpng | < 1.5.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 14 | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 5.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 6.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 8.04 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 10.04 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 10.10 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 11.04 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For libpng's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.