CVE-2021-42716Public exploit

Service crash and heap disclosure via PGM conversion

Published Oct 21, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Out-of-bounds read in stb_image 2.27 allows attackers to crash an image-processing service or disclose bounded heap data via a crafted PGM file. The stbi__pnm_load function calls stbi__convert_format instead of stbi__convert_format16 for 16-bit PGM channel conversion, producing a half-sized buffer that stbi__convert_16_to_8 reads past. A consuming application must load a sufficiently large 16-bit PGM while requesting four output channels; the result is a crash or disclosure of up to 1,024 noncontiguous heap bytes without attacker control of the read location.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability1.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds read in stb_image 2.27 allows attackers to crash an image-processing service or disclose bounded heap data via a crafted PGM file. The stbi__pnm_load function calls stbi__convert_format instead of stbi__convert_format16 for 16-bit PGM channel conversion, producing a half-sized buffer that stbi__convert_16_to_8 reads past. A consuming application must load a sufficiently large 16-bit PGM while requesting four output channels; the result is a crash or disclosure of up to 1,024 noncontiguous heap bytes without attacker control of the read location.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-42716
Published
Oct 21, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-120, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 21, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

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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