TI-2021-10170 Aliases CVE-2021-29457

Heap buffer overflow in Exiv2::Jp2Image::doWriteMetadata

LOW 38CWE-122Published 2021-04-19 · Updated 2024-08-03

Key facts

Attack vector: Local
Privileges required: None
User interaction: Required
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: Partial Red Hat: 2 fixed, 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-122 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. A heap buffer overflow was found in Exiv2 versions v0.27.3 and earlier. The heap overflow is triggered when Exiv2 is used to write metadata into a crafted image file. An attacker could potentially exploit the vulnerability to gain code execution, if they can trick the victim into running Exiv2 on a crafted image file. Note that this bug is only triggered when _writing_ the metadata, which is a less frequently used Exiv2 operation than _reading_ the metadata. For example, to trigger the bug in the Exiv2 command-line application, you need to add an extra command-line argument such as `insert`. The bug is fixed in version v0.27.4.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.02152 82nd percentileScored 2026-11-07

Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD

Fix Partial exiv2 (Exiv2): 0.27.4Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 2 fixed, 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Exiv2	exiv2	before 0.27.4	0.27.4	Patch available	CNA

exiv2 VendorExiv2 Affected before 0.27.4 Fixed in 0.27.4 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:exiv2:exiv2::::::::	before 0.27.4	Vulnerable	Exiv2
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:::::::*	33	Vulnerable	Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:::::::*	34	Vulnerable	Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:::::::*	9.0	Vulnerable	Debian
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:::::::*	10.0	Vulnerable	Debian

cpe:2.3:a:exiv2:exiv2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.27.4 Vulnerable ·Exiv2
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 33 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 34 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian

Remediation

Fix · CNA exiv2 (Exiv2) Fixed in 0.27.4

Red Hat 1 advisory

RHSA-2021:4173 Released 2021-11-09 · Red Hat rating Moderate
exiv2 security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) exiv2-devel-0.27.4-5.el8, exiv2-doc-0.27.4-5.el8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) exiv2-0.27.4-5.el8, exiv2-libs-0.27.4-5.el8

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Product	Status	Plan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6	Affected	No fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	Affected	No fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2021:4173
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2021:4173

Not affected: 1 product

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-29457

References

Exploit 1

https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/issues/1529

Patch 1

https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/pull/1534

Advisory 6

TI-2020-13478 Buffer Overflow vulnerability in tEXtToDataBuf function in pngimage.cpp in Exiv2 0.27.1… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
TI-2025-19560 Use After Free in Exiv2 CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3
TI-2020-13491 An uncontrolled memory allocation in DataBufdata(subBox.length-sizeof(box)) function of… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
TI-2018-08245 Exiv2 0.26 has a heap-based buffer overflow in getData in preview.cpp. CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2025-33923 Exiv2 Segmentation Faults in Exiv2::EpsImage::writeMetadata() via crafted EPS file CVSS 4.0LOW 1.8
TI-2019-06608 An issue was discovered in Exiv2 0.27. CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.8

See all 123 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences