CVE-2026-100493 in Compressonator SDK
Summary
by MITRE • 11/03/2026
An integer overflow in the DDS RGB888 loader of AMD Compressonator SDK could allow an attacker to supply a crafted DDS file that causes an undersized heap allocation and a subsequent out-of-bounds read, potentially resulting in process termination or limited disclosure of heap memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2026
The vulnerability identified within the Advanced Micro Devices Compressonator Software Development Kit represents a critical security flaw located specifically in the Dynamic Data Exchange RGB888 loader component. This module is responsible for parsing and processing DDS files, which are widely used texture formats in graphics programming and game development pipelines. The core technical issue stems from an integer overflow condition that occurs during the calculation of memory requirements for image data buffers. When a malicious actor supplies a specially crafted DDS file with manipulated header fields or dimension parameters, the arithmetic operations performed by the loader fail to account for potential wrap-around effects inherent in fixed-width integer types. This miscalculation results in the allocation of a heap buffer that is significantly smaller than what is actually required to hold the image data defined by the file's metadata.
Following this undersized allocation, the application proceeds to read pixel data from the crafted file into the insufficiently sized buffer without performing adequate bounds checking relative to the actual size of the incoming data stream. This discrepancy triggers an out-of-bounds read operation where memory locations beyond the allocated heap segment are accessed. The immediate operational impact of this flaw is often a process termination due to access violation exceptions triggered by the operating system's memory protection mechanisms. However, in scenarios where such crashes do not immediately terminate the application or if specific compiler optimizations and runtime environments allow it, the out-of-bounds read can lead to limited disclosure of heap memory contents. This information leak could potentially expose sensitive data residing adjacent to the allocated buffer, including pointers, cryptographic keys, or other user credentials stored within the process address space.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190 Integer Overflow or Wraparound as the root cause and CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read as the direct consequence. The exploitation vector is categorized under CWE-20 Improper Input Validation because the software fails to validate that the calculated buffer size matches the expected data volume before performing memory operations. In terms of adversary tactics, this flaw facilitates reconnaissance or initial access phases by allowing an attacker to crash a service running the vulnerable library, potentially leading to denial-of-service conditions, or to gather information about the target environment through heap spraying and subsequent memory disclosure techniques documented in MITRE ATT&CK framework entries related to resource monitoring and data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate patching of the Compressonator SDK and broader defensive coding practices within applications utilizing it. The primary remediation involves updating to a version of AMD Compressonator where the integer overflow in the DDS RGB888 loader has been corrected, ensuring that all arithmetic operations related to buffer sizing are performed using safe math libraries or checked arithmetic instructions that detect overflows before allocation occurs. Developers integrating this SDK should also implement strict input validation on all fields within DDS headers prior to processing, verifying that dimensions and stride calculations do not exceed maximum allowable limits for the target platform's memory architecture. Furthermore, employing heap hardening techniques such as guard pages around allocations can help mitigate the impact of out-of-bounds reads by causing immediate faults rather than silent data corruption or leakage. Regular security audits focusing on image parsing libraries are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components that handle untrusted binary formats.