GIMP APNG/DDS Loader Heap Buffer Overflow
CVE-2026-42169 Published on August 4, 2026

Gimp: gimp apng loader heap-buffer-overflow when fctl width exceeds ihdr width (file-png.c)
A heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability exists in the APNG (Animated PNG) file loader of GIMP. This flaw occurs when the `fcTL` width exceeds the `IHDR` width, leading to pixel data being written past the end of a heap allocation. Additionally, a heap-based buffer overflow exists in the DDS plug-in due to a BPP mismatch in the `load_layer()` function. Both vulnerabilities can be triggered by opening a specially crafted image file, potentially leading to code execution.

Vendor Advisory Vendor Advisory NVD

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2026-42169 can be exploited with local system access, requires user interaction and a small amount of user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be very high.

Attack Vector:
LOCAL
Attack Complexity:
LOW
Privileges Required:
LOW
User Interaction:
REQUIRED
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
HIGH
Integrity Impact:
HIGH
Availability Impact:
HIGH

Timeline

Reported to Red Hat.

Made public. 102 days later.

Weakness Type

Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size

The software does not correctly calculate the size to be used when allocating a buffer, which could lead to a buffer overflow.


Products Associated with CVE-2026-42169

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
 
Red Hat Rhel Eus
 

Affected Versions

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: