How severe is CVE-2009-0040?

CVE-2009-0040 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2009-0040 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-0040?

CVE-2009-0040 primarily affects Libpng. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-0040?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2009-0040 published?

CVE-2009-0040 was published on 2009-02-22 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-0040

CVE-2009-0040 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Libpng with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-824.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 6.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-824
Affected product: Libpng
Published: 2009-02-22
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The PNG reference library (aka libpng) before 1.0.43, and 1.2.x before 1.2.35, as used in pngcrush and other applications, allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PNG file that triggers a free of an uninitialized pointer in (1) the png_read_png function, (2) pCAL chunk handling, or (3) setup of 16-bit gamma tables.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-0040?: The PNG reference library (aka libpng) before 1.0.43, and 1.2.x before 1.2.35, as used in pngcrush and other applications, allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PNG file that triggers a free of an uninitialized pointer in (1) the png_read_png function, (2) pCAL chunk handling, or (3) setup of 16-bit gamma tables.
How severe is CVE-2009-0040?: CVE-2009-0040 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2009-0040 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-0040?: CVE-2009-0040 primarily affects Libpng. In total, 14 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-0040?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2009-0040 published?: CVE-2009-0040 was published on 2009-02-22 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (14)

cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:10.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:11.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise:9.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise:10.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_desktop:10:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_server:10:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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