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TI-2026-25469 Aliases CVE-2026-33023

libsixel: Use-after-free in load_with_gdkpixbuf()

Priority HIGH 69CWE-416Published · Updated

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
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. In versions 1.8.7 and prior, when built with the --with-gdk-pixbuf2 option, a use-after-free vulnerability exists in load_with_gdkpixbuf() in loader.c. The cleanup path manually frees the sixel_frame_t object and its internal buffers without consulting the reference count, even though the object was created via the refcounted constructor sixel_frame_new() and exposed to the public callback. A callback that calls sixel_frame_ref(frame) to retain a logically valid reference will hold a dangling pointer after sixel_helper_load_image_file() returns, and any subsequent access to the frame or its fields triggers a use-after-free confirmed by AddressSanitizer. The root cause is a consistency failure between two cleanup strategies in the same codebase: sixel_frame_unref() is used in load_with_builtin() but raw free() is used in load_with_gdkpixbuf(). An attacker supplying a crafted image to any application built against libsixel with gdk-pixbuf2 support can trigger this reliably, potentially leading to information disclosure, memory corruption, or code execution. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.7-r1.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00289 21st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed libsixel (saitoha): 1.8.7-r1

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
saitohalibsixelbefore 1.8.7-r11.8.7-r1Patch availableCNA
  • libsixel Vendorsaitoha Affected before 1.8.7-r1 Fixed in 1.8.7-r1 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:saitoha:libsixel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*up to 1.8.7Vulnerablesaitoha
  • cpe:2.3:a:saitoha:libsixel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 1.8.7 Vulnerable ·saitoha

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA libsixel (saitoha) Fixed in 1.8.7-r1

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-33023

References

  • TI-2026-32536 libsixel: integer overflow in encoder CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
  • TI-2026-32537 libsixel: integer overflow in parser CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
  • TI-2026-25466 libsixel: Integer Overflow in write_png_to_file() leads to Heap-based Buffer Overflow CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
  • TI-2026-25464 libsixel: Use-After-Free in load_gif() CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.0
  • TI-2026-25467 libsixel: Use-after-free in sixel_encoder_encode_bytes() CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.3
  • TI-2026-25465 libsixel: Integer overflow leads to Out-of-bounds Read in img2sixel CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
See all 47 →

Sources