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Exiv2 CVE-2021-29457

HIGH
Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122)
2021-04-19 security-advisories@github.com
7.8
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required. Public proof-of-concept exploit code is available.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

Successful exploitation could compromise the high-severity affected system.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 2.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-122. 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. Affected products include: Exiv2, Fedoraproject Fedora, Debian Debian Linux.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

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.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
2.2%
Top 20% exploitable
Exploit
POC
Public exploit code exists
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 2.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
Poc
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

61
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +2
CVSS: +39
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:exiv2:exiv2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More in Exiv2

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CVE-2018-11531 CRITICAL POC
9.8 May 29

Exiv2 0.26 has a heap-based buffer overflow in getData in preview.cpp. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerab

CVE-2019-9144 HIGH POC
8.8 Feb 25

An issue was discovered in Exiv2 0.27. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no au

CVE-2019-9143 HIGH POC
8.8 Feb 25

An issue was discovered in Exiv2 0.27. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no au

CVE-2018-14046 HIGH POC
8.8 Jul 13

Exiv2 0.26 has a heap-based buffer over-read in WebPImage::decodeChunks in webpimage.cpp. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8)

CVE-2018-12265 HIGH POC
8.8 Jun 13

Exiv2 0.26 has an integer overflow in the LoaderExifJpeg class in preview.cpp, leading to an out-of-bounds read in Exiv2

CVE-2018-12264 HIGH POC
8.8 Jun 13

Exiv2 0.26 has integer overflows in LoaderTiff::getData() in preview.cpp, leading to an out-of-bounds read in Exiv2::Val

CVE-2026-25884 HIGH POC
8.1 Mar 02

Out-of-bounds read in Exiv2's CRW image parser allows remote attackers to cause denial of service and potentially disclo

CVE-2018-14338 HIGH POC
8.1 Jul 17

samples/geotag.cpp in the example code of Exiv2 0.26 misuses the realpath function on POSIX platforms (other than Apple

CVE-2018-9305 HIGH POC
8.1 Apr 04

In Exiv2 0.26, an out-of-bounds read in IptcData::printStructure in iptc.c could result in a crash or information leak,

CVE-2018-9144 HIGH POC
8.1 Mar 30

In Exiv2 0.26, there is an out-of-bounds read in Exiv2::Internal::binaryToString in image.cpp. Rated high severity (CVSS

CVE-2019-14368 HIGH POC
7.8 Jul 28

Exiv2 0.27.99.0 has a heap-based buffer over-read in Exiv2::RafImage::readMetadata() in rafimage.cpp. Rated high severit

CVE-2017-11592 HIGH POC
7.5 Jul 24

There is a Mismatched Memory Management Routines vulnerability in the Exiv2::FileIo::seek function of Exiv2 0.26 that wi

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