How severe is CVE-2020-21426?

CVE-2020-21426 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-21426 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-21426?

CVE-2020-21426 affects Freeimage Project Freeimage. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-21426?

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-2020-21426 published?

CVE-2020-21426 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-21426

CVE-2020-21426 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freeimage Project Freeimage with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-120.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (37th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-120
Affected product: Freeimage Project Freeimage
Published: 2023-08-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in function C_IStream::read in PluginEXR.cpp in FreeImage 3.18.0 allows remote attackers to run arbitrary code and cause other impacts via crafted image file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-21426?: Buffer Overflow vulnerability in function C_IStream::read in PluginEXR.cpp in FreeImage 3.18.0 allows remote attackers to run arbitrary code and cause other impacts via crafted image file.
How severe is CVE-2020-21426?: CVE-2020-21426 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-21426 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-21426?: CVE-2020-21426 affects Freeimage Project Freeimage. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-21426?: 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-2020-21426 published?: CVE-2020-21426 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:freeimage_project:freeimage:3.18.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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