CVE-2026-111129 in assimp
Summary
by MITRE • 10/15/2026
Open Asset Import Library (assimp) through 6.0.5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Ogre3D binary mesh importer's OgreBinarySerializer::ReadAnimationKeyFrames() handling of unvalidated animation track targets. Attackers can supply a crafted .mesh file with a morph animation track targeting a missing submesh or absent shared geometry to crash the host process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2026
The Open Asset Import Library, commonly known as assimp, is a widely adopted open-source library designed for importing various 3D model formats into applications such as game engines, CAD software, and visualization tools. Version 6.0.5 of this library contains a critical security flaw within its Ogre3D binary mesh importer component. Specifically, the vulnerability resides in the function responsible for reading animation keyframes, which fails to adequately validate the integrity of animation track targets before attempting to access associated data structures. This oversight creates a scenario where maliciously crafted input files can trigger a NULL pointer dereference, leading to application instability or potential exploitation depending on the context in which assimp is deployed.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in how the OgreBinarySerializer handles morph animation tracks during the parsing process. When processing an .mesh file that contains morph animations, the library attempts to map these animations to specific submeshes within the geometry data structure. However, the implementation does not perform sufficient checks to ensure that the referenced submesh or shared geometry actually exists in the loaded model. If a crafted mesh file specifies a target index for a morph animation track that corresponds to a missing submesh or absent shared geometry, the internal pointer resolution logic fails and returns a null value instead of valid memory address data. Subsequent operations within the ReadAnimationKeyFrames function proceed without verifying this null state, resulting in an attempt to dereference a NULL pointer.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability primarily manifests as a denial-of-service condition for applications utilizing assimp to load 3D assets. When the host process encounters the invalid memory access triggered by the crafted .mesh file, it typically crashes immediately due to the segmentation fault caused by the null pointer dereference. While direct code execution is less likely in this specific context compared to buffer overflow vulnerabilities, the crash can disrupt workflows that rely on automated asset processing pipelines or cause instability in real-time rendering applications if such files are encountered during normal operation. The impact extends beyond simple crashes; it introduces reliability issues for developers who assume input assets are well-formed and validated prior to ingestion by assimp.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which describes a NULL Pointer Dereference, indicating that the software performs an action upon a pointer value that has not been properly initialized or verified. In terms of threat modeling and attack patterns, this flaw can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically related to command-line interface execution if the crash leads to unexpected behavior in scripts automating asset conversion, though its primary classification remains within input validation failures leading to application crashes. The lack of robust error handling for missing geometry references highlights a gap in defensive programming practices where assumptions about data structure completeness are not rigorously enforced during parsing operations.
To mitigate this vulnerability, developers integrating assimp into their applications should ensure they upgrade to version 6.0.6 or later, which includes patches addressing the validation logic within the Ogre3D importer. For environments that cannot immediately update, implementing input sanitization at a higher level in the application stack is recommended. This involves validating mesh files for structural integrity before passing them to assimp, ensuring that animation track references correspond to existing submeshes and geometry data. Additionally, employing sandboxing techniques or memory protection mechanisms such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) can help contain the impact of potential crashes, although these measures do not resolve the underlying code defect. Regular security audits focusing on input validation in third-party libraries are essential for maintaining robust application security posture against similar parsing vulnerabilities.