CVE-2015-8540

CVE-2015-8540 is a high-severity vulnerability in Libpng with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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-189.

Key facts

• Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
• CVSS v2: 9.3
• EPSS exploit prediction: 6% (93rd percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-189
• Affected product: Libpng
• Published: 2016-04-14
• Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Integer underflow in the png_check_keyword function in pngwutil.c in libpng 0.90 through 0.99, 1.0.x before 1.0.66, 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.56, 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.19, and 1.5.x before 1.5.26 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a space character as a keyword in a PNG image, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-8540?

Integer underflow in the png_check_keyword function in pngwutil.c in libpng 0.90 through 0.99, 1.0.x before 1.0.66, 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.56, 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.19, and 1.5.x before 1.5.26 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a space character as a keyword in a PNG image, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.

How severe is CVE-2015-8540?

CVE-2015-8540 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2015-8540 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (93rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2015-8540?

CVE-2015-8540 primarily affects Libpng. In total, 198 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2015-8540?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2015-8540 published?

CVE-2015-8540 was published on 2016-04-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

• http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-December/174435.html
• http://sourceforge.net/p/libpng/bugs/244/
• http://sourceforge.net/p/libpng/code/ci/d9006f683c641793252d92254a75ae9b815b42ed/
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng10/1.0.66/
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng12/1.2.56/
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng14/1.4.19/
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng15/1.5.26/
• http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3443
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/10/6
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/10/7
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/11/1
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/11/2
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/17/10
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/80592
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:1430
• https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
• https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
• https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201611-08

Affected products (198)

• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_hpc_node:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_supplementary:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Libpng

• CVE-2017-12652 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): libpng before 1.6.32 does not properly check the length of chunks against the user limit.
• CVE-2010-1205 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Buffer overflow in pngpread.c in libpng before 1.2.44 and 1.4.x before 1.4.3, as used in progressive applications,…
• CVE-2018-14550 — High (CVSS 8.8): An issue has been found in third-party PNM decoding associated with libpng 1.6.35. It is a stack-based buffer overflow…
• CVE-2015-0973 — High (CVSS 8.8): Buffer overflow in the png_read_IDAT_data function in pngrutil.c in libpng before 1.5.21 and 1.6.x before 1.6.16 allows…
• CVE-2014-9495 — High (CVSS 8.8): Heap-based buffer overflow in the png_combine_row function in libpng before 1.5.21 and 1.6.x before 1.6.16, when…
• CVE-2011-3045 — High (CVSS 8.8): Integer signedness error in the png_inflate function in pngrutil.c in libpng before 1.4.10beta01, as used in Google…

All CVEs affecting Libpng →

Other CWE-189 (Numeric Errors) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2015-8396 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Integer overflow in the ImageRegionReader::ReadIntoBuffer function in…
• CVE-2015-7205 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Integer underflow in the RTPReceiverVideo::ParseRtpPacket function in Mozilla Firefox before 43.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x…
• CVE-2015-6575 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): SampleTable.cpp in libstagefright in Android before 5.1.1 LMY48I does not properly consider integer promotion, which…
• CVE-2015-3864 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Integer underflow in the MPEG4Extractor::parseChunk function in MPEG4Extractor.cpp in libstagefright in mediaserver in…
• CVE-2015-3836 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The Parse_wave function in arm-wt-22k/lib_src/eas_mdls.c in the Sonivox DLS-to-EAS converter in Android before 5.1.1…
• CVE-2015-3834 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Multiple integer overflows in the BnHDCP::onTransact function in media/libmedia/IHDCP.cpp in libstagefright in Android…

Browse all CWE-189 (Numeric Errors) vulnerabilities →