What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-5445?

CVE-2026-5445 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.0%.

Which versions of Dicom Server are affected by CVE-2026-5445?

Orthanc DICOM Server versions 1.12.10 and earlier contain a critical out-of-bounds memory read vulnerability in PALETTE COLOR image processing that allows unauthenticated attackers to extract…

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-5445?

Within 24 hours: audit deployed Orthanc instances to identify versions ≤1.12.10 and document exposure scope. Within 7 days: evaluate upgrade feasibility to Orthanc 1.12.11 or later once available from vendor, and restrict network access to Orthanc servers using firewall rules allowing only authorized medical imaging clients. Within 30 days: complete migration to patched Orthanc version and validate DICOM image processing functionality across all departments.

Dicom Server CVE-2026-5445

EUVD-2026-20926 CRITICAL

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

2026-04-09 certcc

GHSA-g69c-6pfv-54p9

Buffer Overflow Information Disclosure Dicom Server

9.1

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY

9.1 CRITICAL

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

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

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

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Generated

Apr 14, 2026 - 17:24 vuln.today

CVSS changed

Apr 14, 2026 - 17:22 NVD

9.1 (CRITICAL)

EUVD ID Assigned

Apr 09, 2026 - 15:00 euvd

EUVD-2026-20926

CVE Published

Apr 09, 2026 - 14:42 nvd

N/A

DescriptionCVE.org

An out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the DecodeLookupTable function within DicomImageDecoder.cpp. The lookup-table decoding logic used for PALETTE COLOR images does not validate pixel indices against the lookup table size. Crafted images containing indices larger than the palette size cause the decoder to read beyond allocated lookup table memory and expose heap contents in the output image.

AnalysisAI

Out-of-bounds heap read in Orthanc DICOM Server ≤1.12.10 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to extract heap memory contents and potentially crash the server via malformed PALETTE COLOR images. The vulnerability resides in the DecodeLookupTable function, which fails to validate pixel indices against palette size boundaries. With a 9.1 CVSS score but only 0.02% EPSS (4th percentile), the theoretical severity is high but observed real-world exploitation probability remains very low. No active exploitation confirmed (not in CISA KEV), no public exploit code identified at time of analysis.

Technical ContextAI

Orthanc DICOM Server is an open-source medical imaging server implementing the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) protocol. The vulnerability affects the image decoding pipeline in DicomImageDecoder.cpp, specifically the DecodeLookupTable function responsible for rendering paletted medical images. DICOM PALETTE COLOR images use indexed color encoding where pixel values reference entries in a lookup table (LUT). The decoder lacks bounds checking when translating pixel indices to RGB values from the palette. When processing crafted DICOM files with pixel indices exceeding the LUT size, the decoder performs unchecked pointer arithmetic and reads from adjacent heap memory regions. This classic buffer over-read vulnerability exposes arbitrary heap contents, which become embedded in the decoded output image buffer returned to clients. The affected CPE (cpe:2.3:a:orthanc:dicom_server) confirms the vulnerability is isolated to the Orthanc product line through version 1.12.10.

RemediationAI

Organizations running Orthanc DICOM Server should upgrade to version 1.12.11 or later, which includes bounds validation in the DecodeLookupTable function. Download patched releases from the official Orthanc project repository at https://www.orthanc-server.com/. For environments unable to immediately patch, implement network-level controls to restrict DICOM file upload sources to trusted medical imaging devices only. Deploy input validation proxies to reject DICOM files with malformed palette structures before reaching the Orthanc server. Enable enhanced logging to detect repeated decoding failures that may indicate exploitation attempts. Consider deploying Orthanc behind application firewalls with DICOM protocol inspection capabilities. Review server configurations to disable unnecessary DICOM transfer syntaxes if PALETTE COLOR support is not required for operational workflows. Consult CERT/CC vulnerability note VU#536588 at https://kb.cert.org/vuls/id/536588 for additional technical guidance and vendor coordination updates. Validate remediation by testing with sample DICOM files containing oversized palette indices and confirming proper error handling without crashes or memory exposure.