CVE-2026-41216 in VTK
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2026
An invalid pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the vtkPNGReader::ExecuteInformation functionality of vtk 9.6. A specially crafted .png file can lead to a denial of service. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2026
The vulnerability identified involves an invalid pointer dereception within the VTK library, specifically in the ExecuteInformation method associated with the vtkPNGReader component. This issue arises when processing specially crafted PNG files that contain malformed or unexpected data structures. The root cause lies in insufficient validation of input parameters before they are used to access memory locations. When a maliciously constructed image file is provided as input, it triggers an execution path where pointers are not properly initialized or checked for validity prior to dereferencing. This leads to the application attempting to read from or write to invalid memory addresses, resulting in a crash of the process hosting the VTK library instance.
From a technical perspective, this flaw represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to resource management errors. The vulnerability allows an attacker who can supply arbitrary PNG files to cause a denial of service condition by crashing the application or service that relies on image processing capabilities via VTK. In environments where such libraries are used for rendering medical images, scientific visualizations, or real-time data analysis, this crash could disrupt critical workflows and lead to significant operational downtime. The impact is primarily confined to availability rather than confidentiality or integrity, as there is no indication of code execution potential in the provided description.
This type of vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-416: Use After Free, although it may also fall under CWE-825: Expired Pointer Dereference depending on whether the pointer was previously valid but has since been invalidated or freed. In terms of attack vectors and tactics, this scenario corresponds to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1499: Endpoint Denial of Service, where an adversary aims to disrupt service availability rather than compromise system integrity. The exploitation requires direct interaction with the vulnerable component through file input, making it a local or network-based vector depending on how the application exposes its image processing functionality.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms within the vtkPNGReader::ExecuteInformation function. Developers must ensure that all pointers are validated before dereferencing and that array bounds are strictly checked against allocated memory sizes. Additionally, incorporating fuzzing techniques during development can help identify such edge cases early in the software lifecycle. For end-users, applying vendor-provided patches or updates to VTK version 9.6 is essential to resolve this issue. If immediate patching is not feasible, deploying input sanitization layers at the application boundary that reject malformed PNG files before they reach the vulnerable library can provide temporary protection against exploitation attempts.