Stack buffer overflow in Netpbm picttoppm converter
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-121 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
Netpbm before 10.86.51, 11.x before 11.02.30, and 11.03 before 11.15.08 contains a stack-based buffer overflow in the scanPoly() function of picttoppm (CWE-121). A crafted PICT file with polygon edges that produce more than 5000 points overflows the coord stack array. A local attacker who gets a user to convert such a file can crash the converter or potentially execute code.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
Netpbm before 10.86.51, 11.x before 11.02.30, and 11.03 before 11.15.08 contains a stack-based buffer overflow in picttoppm's scanPoly() function in converter/ppm/picttoppm.c. Attackers can supply a crafted PICT file whose polygon edges produce more than 5000 points, overflowing the coord stack array to crash the converter or potentially execute code.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- 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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netpbm | Netpbm | before 10.86.51; 11.0 to before 11.02.30; 11.03 to before 11.15.08 | 10.86.51, 11.02.30, 11.15.08 | Patch available | CNA |
- Netpbm VendorNetpbm Affected before 10.86.51; 11.0 to before 11.02.30; 11.03 to before 11.15.08 Fixed in 10.86.51, 11.02.30, 11.15.08 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:netpbm_project:netpbm:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | Netpbm Project |
- cpe:2.3:a:netpbm_project:netpbm:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Netpbm Project
Remediation
Upgrade Netpbm to 10.86.51, 11.02.30, or 11.15.08, matching your release branch. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 as affected without a fix.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Netpbm (Netpbm) Fixed in 10.86.51, 11.02.30, 11.15.08
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Netpbm 10.86.51, 11.02.30, 11.15.08
6 records Highest priority Priority LOW 6 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-83828 Heap overflow in Netpbm jbigtopnm can crash the tool or run codePriority LOW 38
- TI-2026-83827 Heap overflow in Netpbm xpmtoppm can crash or run codePriority LOW 38
- TI-2026-83825 Stack buffer overflow in Netpbm picttoppm paintPoly()Priority LOW 38
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | — |
Timeline
- 2026-11-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-120434
- 2026-11-02 Alias added: GHSA-vm8g-xfgm-cjmm
- 2026-11-04 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
Other 4
More Netpbm vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-76476 Heap out-of-bounds read in Netpbm rasttopnm leaks memory CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
- TI-2003-00141 Multiple vulnerabilities in NetPBM 9.20 and earlier, and possibly other versions, may… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2005-02810 pnmtopng in netpbm before 10.25, when using the -trans option, uses uninitialized size… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2009-04054 Stack-based buffer overflow in converter/ppm/xpmtoppm.c in netpbm before 10.47.07 allows… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2005-02339 pstopnm in netpbm does not properly use the "-dSAFER" option when calling Ghostscript to… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-83828 Heap overflow in Netpbm jbigtopnm can crash the tool or run code CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-120434 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-120434 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vm8g-xfgm-cjmm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-120434 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences