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OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jul 31, 2025 in AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr • Updated Aug 1, 2025

Package

pip OpenEXR (pip)

Affected versions

= 3.3.2

Patched versions

3.3.3

Description

Summary

When reading a deep scanline image with a large sample count in reduceMemory mode, it is possible to crash a target application with a NULL pointer dereference in a write operation.

Details

In the ScanLineProcess::run_fill function, implemented in src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfDeepScanLineInputFile.cpp, the following code is used to write the fillValue in the sample buffer:

                switch (fills.type)
                {
                    case OPENEXR_IMF_INTERNAL_NAMESPACE::UINT:
                    {
                        unsigned int fillVal = (unsigned int) (fills.fillValue);
                        unsigned int* fillptr = static_cast<unsigned int*> (dest);

                        for ( int32_t s = 0; s < samps; ++s )
                            fillptr[s] = fillVal; // <--- POTENTIAL CRASH HERE
                        break;
                    }

However, when reduceMemory mode is enabled in the readDeepScanLine function in src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp, with large sample counts, the sample data will not be read, as shown below:

            // limit total number of samples read in reduceMemory mode
            //
            if (!reduceMemory ||
                fileBufferSize + bufferSize < gMaxBytesPerDeepScanline) // <--- CHECK ON LARGE SAMPLE COUNTS AND reduceMemory
            {
            // SNIP...
            try
                {
                    in.readPixels (y);
                }

Therefore, in those cases, the sample buffer would not be allocated, resulting in a potential write operation on a NULL pointer.

PoC

NOTE: please download the runfill_crash.exr file from the following link:

https://github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-48073

  1. Compile the exrcheck binary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN.
  2. Open the runfill_crash.exr file with the following command:
exrcheck -m runfill_crash.exr
  1. Notice that exrcheck crashes with ASAN stack-trace.

Impact

An attacker may cause a denial of service by crashing the application.

References

@cary-ilm cary-ilm published to AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr Jul 31, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jul 31, 2025
Reviewed Jul 31, 2025
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jul 31, 2025
Last updated Aug 1, 2025

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity Low
Attack Requirements None
Privileges Required None
User interaction Active
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality None
Integrity None
Availability Low
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality None
Integrity None
Availability None

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector: This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. This metric value (and consequently the resulting severity) will be larger the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable system. The assumption is that the number of potential attackers for a vulnerability that could be exploited from across a network is larger than the number of potential attackers that could exploit a vulnerability requiring physical access to a device, and therefore warrants a greater severity.
Attack Complexity: This metric captures measurable actions that must be taken by the attacker to actively evade or circumvent existing built-in security-enhancing conditions in order to obtain a working exploit. These are conditions whose primary purpose is to increase security and/or increase exploit engineering complexity. A vulnerability exploitable without a target-specific variable has a lower complexity than a vulnerability that would require non-trivial customization. This metric is meant to capture security mechanisms utilized by the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: This metric captures the prerequisite deployment and execution conditions or variables of the vulnerable system that enable the attack. These differ from security-enhancing techniques/technologies (ref Attack Complexity) as the primary purpose of these conditions is not to explicitly mitigate attacks, but rather, emerge naturally as a consequence of the deployment and execution of the vulnerable system.
Privileges Required: This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess prior to successfully exploiting the vulnerability. The method by which the attacker obtains privileged credentials prior to the attack (e.g., free trial accounts), is outside the scope of this metric. Generally, self-service provisioned accounts do not constitute a privilege requirement if the attacker can grant themselves privileges as part of the attack.
User interaction: This metric captures the requirement for a human user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise of the vulnerable system. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the VULNERABLE SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(11th percentile)

Weaknesses

NULL Pointer Dereference

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. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-48073

GHSA ID

GHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm

Source code

Credits

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