Denial of service via repeated ICC buffer copying
Published Aug 29, 2025 · Updated Aug 29, 2025
Algorithmic-complexity denial of service in Exiv2 before 0.28.6 allows attackers to cause prolonged processing via a crafted JPEG file. JpegBase::readMetadata accepts unchecked APP2 ICC chunks, reallocating and copying the entire accumulated profile for every appended chunk. Exploitation requires a user or application to process the crafted image; the quadratic work causes prolonged CPU use, with memory exhaustion and a crash reported on a low-spec system.
Summary
What happened
Algorithmic-complexity denial of service in Exiv2 before 0.28.6 allows attackers to cause prolonged processing via a crafted JPEG file. JpegBase::readMetadata accepts unchecked APP2 ICC chunks, reallocating and copying the entire accumulated profile for every appended chunk. Exploitation requires a user or application to process the crafted image; the quadratic work causes prolonged CPU use, with memory exhaustion and a crash reported on a low-spec system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-55304
- Published
- Aug 29, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 29, 2025
- Vendor
- Exiv2
- Product
- Exiv2
- Classifications
- CWE-407, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 29, 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.
- Affected versionversion=< 0.28.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Crafted ICC JPEG generatorproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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