LIBPNG has use-after-free via pointer aliasing in `png_set_tRNS` and `png_set_PLTE` (pnggroup libpng)
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 1.07 % · percentile 65 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- GitHub_M
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
LIBPNG is a reference library for use in applications that read, create, and manipulate PNG (Portable Network Graphics) raster image files. In versions 1.2.1 through 1.6.55, `png_set_tRNS` and `png_set_PLTE` each alias a heap-allocated buffer between `png_struct` and `png_info`, sharing a single allocation across two structs with independent lifetimes. The `trans_alpha` aliasing has been present since at least libpng 1.0, and the `palette` aliasing since at least 1.2.1. Both affect all prior release lines `png_set_tRNS` sets `png_ptr->trans_alpha = info_ptr->trans_alpha` (256-byte buffer) and `png_set_PLTE` sets `info_ptr->palette = png_ptr->palette` (768-byte buffer). In both cases, calling `png_free_data` (with `PNG_FREE_TRNS` or `PNG_FREE_PLTE`) frees the buffer through `info_ptr` while the corresponding `png_ptr` pointer remains dangling. Subsequent row-transform functions dereference and, in some code paths, write to the freed memory. A second call to `png_set_tRNS` or `png_set_PLTE` has the same effect, because both functions call `png_free_data` internally before reallocating the `info_ptr` buffer. Version 1.6.56 fixes the issue.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-416 — Use After Free
References
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/security/advisories/GHSA-m4pc-p4q3-4c7j
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/pull/824
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/23019269764e35ed8458e517f1897bd3c54820eb
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/7ea9eea884a2328cc7fdcb3c0c00246a50d90667
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/a3a21443ed12bfa1ef46fa0d4fb2b74a0fa34a25
- https://github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/c1b0318b393c90679e6fa5bc1d329fd5d5012ec1
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 7.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | GitHub_M |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 7.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · security-advisories@github.com (Secondary) |
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-16258
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2026-33416
CERT-FR advisories
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1385 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits VMware · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1378 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits IBM · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1206 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits IBM · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1094 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits IBM · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-0381 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits Microsoft · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*≥ 1.2.1 < 1.6.56
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| pnggroup · libpng | affected >= 1.2.1, < 1.6.56 |
Sources
| Source | Licence |
|---|---|
| CVE List (CVEProject cvelistV5) | CVE Program Terms of Use |
| EPSS (FIRST.org) | FIRST — attribution requested |
| ENISA EUVD | ENISA — reproduction authorised, source acknowledged |
| CERT-FR (ANSSI) | Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0 |
| NVD (NIST) via fkie-cad/nvd-json-data-feeds | Public domain — this product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD |