CVE-2020-26208

Heap-buffer-overflow in jhead

5.3 MediumFix available

JHEAD is a simple command line tool for displaying and some manipulation of EXIF header data embedded in Jpeg images from digital cameras. In affected versions there is a heap-buffer-overflow on jhead-3.04/jpgfile.c:285 ReadJpegSections. Crafted jpeg images can be provided to the user resulting in a program crash or potentially incorrect exif information retrieval. Users are advised to upgrade. There is no known workaround for this issue.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: Low
Availability: Low

Exploit likelihood

0.89%Down 0.1 points since Feb 3, 2022

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.3

Heap-buffer-overflow in jhead

Record: CVE-2020-26208
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Weakness: CWE-787
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2020-18833 5.3

Record: EUVD-2020-18833
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 5.3

Record: CVE-2020-26208
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CVSS 3.1: 6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 5.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P
Weakness: CWE-787
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV 6.1

Record: CVE-2020-26208
CVSS 3.1: 6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-26208 6.1

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2020-26208
CVSS 3.1: 6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-26208 6.1

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2020-26208
CVSS 3.1: 6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUSN-6098-1 No score

Jhead vulnerabilities

It was discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing the JFIF markers. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. This issue only affected Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2019-19035)

It was discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing longitude tags. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. This issue only affected Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2019-1010301)

It was discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing IPTC data. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. This issue only affected Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2019-1010302)

Binbin Li discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing the DQT data. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. (CVE-2020-6624)

Binbin Li discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing longitude data. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. (CVE-2020-6625)

Feng Zhao Yang discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while reading JPEG sections. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. (CVE-2020-26208)

It was discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images while processing Canon images. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. (CVE-2021-28276)

It was discovered that Jhead did not properly handle certain crafted images when removing a certain type of sections. An attacker could cause Jhead to crash. (CVE-2021-28278)

Record: USN-6098-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

jhead project jhead

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`jhead` Debian:12	before 1:3.04-6	1:3.04-6
`jhead` Debian:13	before 1:3.04-6	1:3.04-6
`jhead` Debian:14	before 1:3.04-6	1:3.04-6
`jhead` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS	before 1:2.97-1+deb8u2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1:2.97-11:2.97-1+deb8u1build0.14.04.11:2.97-1+deb8u2build0.14.04.1~esm1	1:2.97-1+deb8u2ubuntu0.1~esm1
`jhead` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS	before 1:3.00-4+deb9u1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1:3.00-11:3.00-21:3.00-31:3.00-4+deb9u1build0.16.04.1	1:3.00-4+deb9u1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`jhead` Ubuntu:18.04:LTS	before 1:3.00-8~ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions 1:3.00-41:3.00-51:3.00-61:3.00-8~build0.18.04.1	1:3.00-8~ubuntu0.1
`jhead` Ubuntu:20.04:LTS	before 1:3.04-1ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions 1:3.03-31:3.04-1	1:3.04-1ubuntu0.1
`jhead` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1:2.97-1+deb8u2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1:2.97-11:2.97-1+deb8u1build0.14.04.11:2.97-1+deb8u2build0.14.04.1~esm1	1:2.97-1+deb8u2ubuntu0.1~esm1
`jhead` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1:3.00-4+deb9u1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1:3.00-11:3.00-21:3.00-31:3.00-4+deb9u1build0.16.04.1	1:3.00-4+deb9u1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`jhead` Ubuntu:18.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1:3.00-8~ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions 1:3.00-41:3.00-51:3.00-61:3.00-8~build0.18.04.1	1:3.00-8~ubuntu0.1
`jhead` Ubuntu:20.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1:3.04-1ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions 1:3.03-31:3.04-1	1:3.04-1ubuntu0.1

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 6, 2026	affected, facts
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-26208 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Jhead Project Jhead, published February 2, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.89%, the 59th percentile. Fixed in jhead 1:3.04-6.

References

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