CVE-2025-48073
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. 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
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
4.6
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
CVE-2025-48073- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-23316
4.6
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
EUVD-2025-23316- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm
4.6
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
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
- Compile the
exrcheckbinary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN. - Open the
runfill_crash.exrfile with the following command:
exrcheck -m runfill_crash.exr
- Notice that
exrcheckcrashes with ASAN stack-trace.
Impact
An attacker may cause a denial of service by crashing the application.
- Record
GHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
4.6
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
CVE-2025-48073- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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/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
- 6.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2025-48073
6.2
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
ALPINE-CVE-2025-48073- CVSS 3.1
- 6.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
OSV
4.6
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
CVE-2025-48073- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVGHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm
4.6
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
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
- Compile the
exrcheckbinary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN. - Open the
runfill_crash.exrfile with the following command:
exrcheck -m runfill_crash.exr
- Notice that
exrcheckcrashes with ASAN stack-trace.
Impact
An attacker may cause a denial of service by crashing the application.
- Record
GHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2026-1748
4.6
OpenEXR ScanLineProcess::run_fill NULL Pointer Write In "reduceMemory" Mode
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
- Compile the
exrcheckbinary in a macOS or GNU/Linux machine with ASAN. - Open the
runfill_crash.exrfile with the following command:
exrcheck -m runfill_crash.exr
- Notice that
exrcheckcrashes with ASAN stack-trace.
Impact
An attacker may cause a denial of service by crashing the application.
- Record
PYSEC-2026-1748- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2025-48073
4.6
OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. In version 3.3.2, 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. This is fixed in version 3.3.3.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2025-48073- CVSS 4.0
- 4.6 Medium
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 - CVSS 3.1
- 6.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openexrPyPI |
3.3.2 to 3.3.2 | 3.3.3 |
openexrAlpine:v3.22 |
before 3.3.11-r0 | 3.3.11-r0 |
openexrAlpine:v3.23 |
before 3.4.2-r0 | 3.4.2-r0 |
openexrAlpine:v3.24 |
before 3.4.2-r0 | 3.4.2-r0 |
openexrPyPI |
3.3.2 up to 3.3.3 | 3.3.3 |
openexropenSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 4 CVEs |
before 3.3.5-1.1 | 3.3.5-1.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| affected, aliases, references | OSV | |
| affected | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2025-48073 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.6) 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 0.23%, the 13th percentile. Fixed in openexr 3.3.3.
References
github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm
github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-48073
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-48073
github.com/advisories/GHSA-qhpm-86v7-phmm
security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2025-48073
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2025/48xxx/CVE-2025-48073.json