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CVE-2025-48072

OpenEXR's Inaccurate Pointer Arithmetic can Cause an Out of Bounds Heap

6.8 MediumFix available

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
Active

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.58%Up 0.6 points since Aug 1, 2025
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.8

OpenEXR's Inaccurate Pointer Arithmetic can Cause an Out of Bounds Heap

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
CVE-2025-48072
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-125
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-23315 6.8

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
EUVD-2025-23315
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-4r7w-q3jg-ff43 6.8

OpenEXR Out of Bounds Heap Read due to Bad Pointer Arithmetic in LossyDctDecoder_execute

Summary

The OpenEXRCore code is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk.

Details

In the LossyDctDecoder_execute function (from src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h, when SSE2 is enabled), the following code is used to copy data from the chunks:

// no-op conversion to linear
for (int y = 8 * blocky; y < 8 * blocky + maxY; ++y)
{
    __m128i* restrict dst = (__m128i *) chanData[comp]->_rows[y];
    __m128i const * restrict src = (__m128i const *)&rowBlock[comp][(y & 0x7) * 8];

    for (int blockx = 0; blockx < numFullBlocksX; ++blockx)
    {
        _mm_storeu_si128 (dst, _mm_loadu_si128 (src)); //

        src += 8 * 8; // <--- si128 pointer incremented as a uint16_t
        dst += 8;
    }
}

The issue arises because the src pointer, which is a si128 pointer, is incremented by 8*8, as if it were a uint16_t pointer (64 * uint16_t == 128 bytes). In non-block aligned chunks (width/height not a multiple of 8), this can cause src to point past the boundaries of the chunk.

PoC

In order to reproduce the PoC with fidelity and avoid undefined behaviors, it is necessary to enable ASAN (and SSE2). Otherwise the out-of-bound read will not be detected until its side-effect causes a crash.

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

https://github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-48072

  1. Compile the exrcheck binary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN.
  2. Open the dwadecoder_crash.exr file with the following command:
exrcheck dwadecoder_crash.exr
  1. Notice that exrcheck crashes with ASAN stack-trace.
==2297956==ERROR: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow on address 0x52500000a110 at pc 0x55e590db7bf1 bp 0x7fff948bb110 sp 0x7fff948bb108
READ of size 16 at 0x52500000a110 thread T0
    #0 0x55e590db7bf0 in LossyDctDecoder_execute /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h:650:48
    #1 0x55e590dae18d in DwaCompressor_uncompress /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_compressor.h:1132:30
    #2 0x55e590da9960 in internal_exr_undo_dwaa /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa.c:202:18
    #3 0x55e590d42d03 in exr_uncompress_chunk /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/compression.c:516:14
    #4 0x55e590dc3132 in exr_decoding_run /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/decoding.c:580:14
    #5 0x55e590c7d78f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::ScanLineProcess::run_decode(_priv_exr_context_t const*, int, Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const*, int, int, std::vector<Imf_3_4::Slice, std::allocator<Imf_3_4::Slice>> const&) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:585:23
    #6 0x55e590c83ed7 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::Data::readPixels(Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const&, int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:499:21
    #7 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:306:12
    #8 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::InputFile::Data::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:446:20
    #9 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputFile::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:228:12
    #10 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputPart::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputPart.cpp:70:11
    #11 0x55e590c1f92f in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readScanline<Imf_3_4::InputPart>(Imf_3_4::InputPart&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:239:20
    #12 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readMultiPart(Imf_3_4::MultiPartInputFile&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:879:28
    #13 0x55e590c155af in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::runChecks<char const*>(char const*&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:1132:21
    #14 0x55e590c155af in…
Record
GHSA-4r7w-q3jg-ff43
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-125
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.8

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
CVE-2025-48072
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
CVSS 3.1
9.1 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-125
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2025-48072 9.1

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
ALPINE-CVE-2025-48072
CVSS 3.1
9.1 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
OSV 6.8

OpenEXR's Inaccurate Pointer Arithmetic can Cause an Out of Bounds Heap

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
CVE-2025-48072
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-125
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVGHSA-4r7w-q3jg-ff43 6.8

OpenEXR Out of Bounds Heap Read due to Bad Pointer Arithmetic in LossyDctDecoder_execute

Summary

The OpenEXRCore code is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk.

Details

In the LossyDctDecoder_execute function (from src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h, when SSE2 is enabled), the following code is used to copy data from the chunks:

// no-op conversion to linear
for (int y = 8 * blocky; y < 8 * blocky + maxY; ++y)
{
    __m128i* restrict dst = (__m128i *) chanData[comp]->_rows[y];
    __m128i const * restrict src = (__m128i const *)&rowBlock[comp][(y & 0x7) * 8];

    for (int blockx = 0; blockx < numFullBlocksX; ++blockx)
    {
        _mm_storeu_si128 (dst, _mm_loadu_si128 (src)); //

        src += 8 * 8; // <--- si128 pointer incremented as a uint16_t
        dst += 8;
    }
}

The issue arises because the src pointer, which is a si128 pointer, is incremented by 8*8, as if it were a uint16_t pointer (64 * uint16_t == 128 bytes). In non-block aligned chunks (width/height not a multiple of 8), this can cause src to point past the boundaries of the chunk.

PoC

In order to reproduce the PoC with fidelity and avoid undefined behaviors, it is necessary to enable ASAN (and SSE2). Otherwise the out-of-bound read will not be detected until its side-effect causes a crash.

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

https://github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-48072

  1. Compile the exrcheck binary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN.
  2. Open the dwadecoder_crash.exr file with the following command:
exrcheck dwadecoder_crash.exr
  1. Notice that exrcheck crashes with ASAN stack-trace.
==2297956==ERROR: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow on address 0x52500000a110 at pc 0x55e590db7bf1 bp 0x7fff948bb110 sp 0x7fff948bb108
READ of size 16 at 0x52500000a110 thread T0
    #0 0x55e590db7bf0 in LossyDctDecoder_execute /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h:650:48
    #1 0x55e590dae18d in DwaCompressor_uncompress /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_compressor.h:1132:30
    #2 0x55e590da9960 in internal_exr_undo_dwaa /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa.c:202:18
    #3 0x55e590d42d03 in exr_uncompress_chunk /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/compression.c:516:14
    #4 0x55e590dc3132 in exr_decoding_run /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/decoding.c:580:14
    #5 0x55e590c7d78f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::ScanLineProcess::run_decode(_priv_exr_context_t const*, int, Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const*, int, int, std::vector<Imf_3_4::Slice, std::allocator<Imf_3_4::Slice>> const&) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:585:23
    #6 0x55e590c83ed7 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::Data::readPixels(Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const&, int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:499:21
    #7 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:306:12
    #8 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::InputFile::Data::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:446:20
    #9 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputFile::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:228:12
    #10 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputPart::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputPart.cpp:70:11
    #11 0x55e590c1f92f in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readScanline<Imf_3_4::InputPart>(Imf_3_4::InputPart&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:239:20
    #12 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readMultiPart(Imf_3_4::MultiPartInputFile&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:879:28
    #13 0x55e590c155af in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::runChecks<char const*>(char const*&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:1132:21
    #14 0x55e590c155af in…
Record
GHSA-4r7w-q3jg-ff43
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-125
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2026-1746 6.8

OpenEXR Out of Bounds Heap Read due to Bad Pointer Arithmetic in LossyDctDecoder_execute

Summary

The OpenEXRCore code is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk.

Details

In the LossyDctDecoder_execute function (from src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h, when SSE2 is enabled), the following code is used to copy data from the chunks:

// no-op conversion to linear
for (int y = 8 * blocky; y < 8 * blocky + maxY; ++y)
{
    __m128i* restrict dst = (__m128i *) chanData[comp]->_rows[y];
    __m128i const * restrict src = (__m128i const *)&rowBlock[comp][(y & 0x7) * 8];

    for (int blockx = 0; blockx < numFullBlocksX; ++blockx)
    {
        _mm_storeu_si128 (dst, _mm_loadu_si128 (src)); //

        src += 8 * 8; // <--- si128 pointer incremented as a uint16_t
        dst += 8;
    }
}

The issue arises because the src pointer, which is a si128 pointer, is incremented by 8*8, as if it were a uint16_t pointer (64 * uint16_t == 128 bytes). In non-block aligned chunks (width/height not a multiple of 8), this can cause src to point past the boundaries of the chunk.

PoC

In order to reproduce the PoC with fidelity and avoid undefined behaviors, it is necessary to enable ASAN (and SSE2). Otherwise the out-of-bound read will not be detected until its side-effect causes a crash.

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

https://github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-48072

  1. Compile the exrcheck binary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN.
  2. Open the dwadecoder_crash.exr file with the following command:
exrcheck dwadecoder_crash.exr
  1. Notice that exrcheck crashes with ASAN stack-trace.
==2297956==ERROR: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow on address 0x52500000a110 at pc 0x55e590db7bf1 bp 0x7fff948bb110 sp 0x7fff948bb108
READ of size 16 at 0x52500000a110 thread T0
    #0 0x55e590db7bf0 in LossyDctDecoder_execute /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_decoder.h:650:48
    #1 0x55e590dae18d in DwaCompressor_uncompress /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa_compressor.h:1132:30
    #2 0x55e590da9960 in internal_exr_undo_dwaa /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internal_dwa.c:202:18
    #3 0x55e590d42d03 in exr_uncompress_chunk /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/compression.c:516:14
    #4 0x55e590dc3132 in exr_decoding_run /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRCore/decoding.c:580:14
    #5 0x55e590c7d78f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::ScanLineProcess::run_decode(_priv_exr_context_t const*, int, Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const*, int, int, std::vector<Imf_3_4::Slice, std::allocator<Imf_3_4::Slice>> const&) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:585:23
    #6 0x55e590c83ed7 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::Data::readPixels(Imf_3_4::FrameBuffer const&, int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:499:21
    #7 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::ScanLineInputFile::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfScanLineInputFile.cpp:306:12
    #8 0x55e590c73c97 in Imf_3_4::InputFile::Data::readPixels(int, int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:446:20
    #9 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputFile::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputFile.cpp:228:12
    #10 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::InputPart::readPixels(int) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXR/ImfInputPart.cpp:70:11
    #11 0x55e590c1f92f in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readScanline<Imf_3_4::InputPart>(Imf_3_4::InputPart&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:239:20
    #12 0x55e590c1f92f in Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::readMultiPart(Imf_3_4::MultiPartInputFile&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:879:28
    #13 0x55e590c155af in bool Imf_3_4::(anonymous namespace)::runChecks<char const*>(char const*&, bool, bool) /root/openexr/src/lib/OpenEXRUtil/ImfCheckFile.cpp:1132:21
    #14 0x55e590c155af in…
Record
PYSEC-2026-1746
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2025-48072 6.8

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. Version 3.3.2 is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow during a read operation due to bad pointer math when decompressing DWAA-packed scan-line EXR files with a maliciously forged chunk. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2025-48072
CVSS 4.0
6.8 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
9.1 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2025:15415-1 No score

libIex-3_3-32-3.3.5-1.1 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the libIex-3_3-32-3.3.5-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2025:15415-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
openexr
PyPI
3.3.2 to 3.3.2
3.3.3
openexr
Alpine:v3.22
before 3.3.11-r0
3.3.11-r0
openexr
Alpine:v3.23
before 3.4.2-r0
3.4.2-r0
openexr
Alpine:v3.24
before 3.4.2-r0
3.4.2-r0
openexr
PyPI
3.3.2 up to 3.3.3
3.3.3
openexr
Ubuntu:25.10
All versions, plus listed versions
3.1.13-2
None known
openexr
Ubuntu:26.10
All versions, plus listed versions
3.1.13-2build13.4.6+ds-4ubuntu3
None known
openexr
Ubuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
3.1.13-23.1.13-2build13.1.13-2ubuntu0.26.04.1~esm1
None known
openexr
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 3.3.5-1.1
3.3.5-1.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
affected, aliases, referencesOSV
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2025-48072 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.8) in Academysoftwarefoundation Openexr, published July 31, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.58%, the 47th percentile. Fixed in openexr 3.3.3.

References

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Left out here: the rest of 3 source descriptions. The JSON record has them.

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