CVE-2023-45667Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Process crash via failed GIF vertical flip

Published Oct 20, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Sean Barrett stb_image 2.28 and earlier allows attackers to crash an embedding process via a crafted GIF. After stbi__load_gif_main fails, stbi_load_gif_from_memory passes its NULL result and an uninitialized z slice count to stbi__vertical_flip_slices. Reaching the dereference requires vertical flipping to be enabled and the uninitialized count to enter the slice loop; the resulting impact is a process crash.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability1.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Sean Barrett stb_image 2.28 and earlier allows attackers to crash an embedding process via a crafted GIF. After stbi__load_gif_main fails, stbi_load_gif_from_memory passes its NULL result and an uninitialized z slice count to stbi__vertical_flip_slices. Reaching the dereference requires vertical flipping to be enabled and the uninitialized count to enter the slice loop; the resulting impact is a process crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-45667
Published
Oct 20, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Sean Barrett
Product
stb
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 20, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record 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=<= 2.28

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Sean Barrett · stbversion=<= 2.28
Sean Barrett · stb_imageversion=0 <=2.28

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.3GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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