libpng up to 1.6.8 pngrtran.c png_read_transform_info null pointer dereference

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.2$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in libpng up to 1.6.8. This affects the function png_read_transform_info of the file pngrtran.c. The manipulation with the input NULL results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2013-6954. No exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in libpng up to 1.6.8 (Image Processing Software). It has been classified as critical. Affected is the function png_read_transform_info of the file pngrtran.c. The manipulation with the input value NULL leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:

The png_do_expand_palette function in libpng before 1.6.8 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via (1) a PLTE chunk of zero bytes or (2) a NULL palette, related to pngrtran.c and pngset.c.

The weakness was published 12/14/2013 as [png-mng-implement] libpng-1.6.8rc02 is available as confirmed advisory (Website). The advisory is shared for download at sourceforge.net. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2013-6954 since 12/04/2013. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 75395 (openSUSE Security Update : libpng16 (openSUSE-SU-2014:0100-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family SuSE Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 185086 (HP-UX running Java6, Multiple Vulnerabilities(HPSBUX03092)).

Upgrading to version 1.6.8rc02 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability. The advisory contains the following remark:

he bug was introduced in libpng-1.6.1; previously libpng would issue an error when encountering a zero-length PLTE chunk in an indexed-color PNG.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (75395), SecurityFocus (BID 64493†), OSVDB (101309†) and Secunia (SA58974†). Similar entries are available at VDB-12960, VDB-12959, VDB-12958 and VDB-12953. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.2

VulDB Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Temp Score: 7.2
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 75395
Nessus Name: openSUSE Security Update : libpng16 (openSUSE-SU-2014:0100-1)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 702923
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 2923-1 (openjdk-7 - security update
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: libpng 1.6.8rc02

Timelineinfo

12/04/2013 🔍
12/14/2013 +10 days 🔍
12/14/2013 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2013 +5 days 🔍
12/23/2013 +4 days 🔍
01/12/2014 +20 days 🔍
06/13/2014 +152 days 🔍
06/25/2014 +12 days 🔍
06/10/2025 +4003 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: [png-mng-implement] libpng-1.6.8rc02 is available
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2013-6954 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2013-6954
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-11580

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
SecurityFocus: 64493 - libpng 'png_read_transform_info()' Function NULL Pointer Dereference Denial of Service Vulnerability
Secunia: 58974 - IBM Forms Viewer Multiple Java Vulnerabilities, Highly Critical
OSVDB: 101309

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 12/23/2013 19:55
Updated: 06/10/2025 16:35
Changes: 12/23/2013 19:55 (79), 04/30/2019 09:16 (2), 12/23/2024 09:23 (17), 06/10/2025 16:35 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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