How severe is CVE-2021-20296?

CVE-2021-20296 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability low.

Is CVE-2021-20296 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (75th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-20296?

CVE-2021-20296 primarily affects Openexr. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-20296?

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

When was CVE-2021-20296 published?

CVE-2021-20296 was published on 2021-04-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-20296

CVE-2021-20296 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Openexr with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. 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-476.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (75th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-476
Affected product: Openexr
Published: 2021-04-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in OpenEXR in versions before 3.0.0-beta. A crafted input file supplied by an attacker, that is processed by the Dwa decompression functionality of OpenEXR's IlmImf library, could cause a NULL pointer dereference. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-20296?: A flaw was found in OpenEXR in versions before 3.0.0-beta. A crafted input file supplied by an attacker, that is processed by the Dwa decompression functionality of OpenEXR's IlmImf library, could cause a NULL pointer dereference. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.
How severe is CVE-2021-20296?: CVE-2021-20296 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability low.
Is CVE-2021-20296 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (75th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-20296?: CVE-2021-20296 primarily affects Openexr. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20296?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-20296 published?: CVE-2021-20296 was published on 2021-04-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:openexr:openexr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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