libpng up to 1.5.25 pngwutil.c png_check_keyword numeric error

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
8.6	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in libpng up to 1.5.25. This affects the function png_check_keyword of the file pngwutil.c. The manipulation results in numeric error. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2015-8540. The attack can be launched remotely. No exploit exists.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in libpng up to 1.5.25 (Image Processing Software). It has been classified as critical. Affected is the function png_check_keyword of the file pngwutil.c. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a numeric error vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-189. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Integer underflow in the png_check_keyword function in pngwutil.c in libpng 0.90 through 0.99, 1.0.x before 1.0.66, 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.56, 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.19, and 1.5.x before 1.5.26 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a space character as a keyword in a PNG image, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.

The weakness was disclosed 04/14/2016 by xiaoqixue_1 (Website). The advisory is shared for download at openwall.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2015-8540 since 12/09/2015. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 89053 (Debian DLA-375-1 : libpng Security Update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Debian Local Security Checks. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 296003 (Solaris 11.3 Support Repository Update (SRU) 10.5.0 Missing).

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (89053), SecurityFocus (BID 80592†) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2023-0175). The entries VDB-79001, VDB-81007, VDB-81199 and VDB-81473 are pretty similar. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Open Source libpng
• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• HCL Notes
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Image Processing Software

Name

• libpng

Version

• 1.5.0
• 1.5.1
• 1.5.2
• 1.5.3
• 1.5.4
• 1.5.5
• 1.5.6
• 1.5.7
• 1.5.8
• 1.5.9
• 1.5.10
• 1.5.11
• 1.5.12
• 1.5.13
• 1.5.14
• 1.5.15
• 1.5.16
• 1.5.17
• 1.5.18
• 1.5.19
• 1.5.20
• 1.5.21
• 1.5.22
• 1.5.23
• 1.5.24
• 1.5.25

License

• open-source

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.6

VulDB Base Score: 8.8
VulDB Temp Score: 8.4
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 8.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Numeric error
CWE: CWE-189
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 89053
Nessus Name: Debian DLA-375-1 : libpng Security Update
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 703443
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 3443-1 (libpng - security update)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: no mitigation known
Status: 🔍
Patch: sourceforge.net

Timelineinfo

12/09/2015 🔍
12/13/2015 +4 days 🔍
04/14/2016 +122 days 🔍
04/14/2016 +0 days 🔍
04/15/2016 +1 days 🔍
06/29/2026 +3727 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: RHSA-2016:1430
Researcher: xiaoqixue_1
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2015-8540 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2015-8540
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-82392

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 80592 - libpng 'pngwutil.c' Underflow Read Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2023-0175 - libpng: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 04/15/2016 10:12
Updated: 06/29/2026 10:38
Changes: 04/15/2016 10:12 (60), 10/07/2018 08:47 (15), 07/24/2022 16:20 (4), 07/24/2022 16:27 (1), 06/29/2026 10:38 (27)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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Discussion

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