CVE-2020-35521

Process abort via unbounded raster allocation

Published Mar 9, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Memory allocation failure in tiff2rgba in LibTIFF 4.1.0 and earlier allows local users to abort the process via a crafted TIFF file. The whole-image conversion path allocates memory from TIFF-derived pixel and strip sizes without enforcing an upper allocation limit. A user must process the attacker-supplied file with tiff2rgba; the demonstrated consequence is termination of that process, not data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory allocation failure in tiff2rgba in LibTIFF 4.1.0 and earlier allows local users to abort the process via a crafted TIFF file. The whole-image conversion path allocates memory from TIFF-derived pixel and strip sizes without enforcing an upper allocation limit. A user must process the attacker-supplied file with tiff2rgba; the demonstrated consequence is termination of that process, not data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-35521
Published
Mar 9, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
LibTIFF
Product
LibTIFF
Classifications
CWE-119, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 9, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=libtiff 4.2.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

LibTIFF · LibTIFFversion=libtiff 4.2.0

Published CVSS scores

5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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