NULL pointer dereference in libheif - #VU128022
Published: April 27, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU128022
CSH Severity: Medium
CVSS v4: 6.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: N/A
CWE-ID: CWE-476
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service.
The vulnerability exists due to a null pointer dereference in HeifFile::get_item_data() when parsing a crafted HEIF file with a non-pict handler type and enumerating item data. A remote attacker can supply a specially crafted HEIF file to cause a denial of service.
The issue is triggered after parsing succeeds despite the malformed hdlr box leaving the mandatory m_iloc_box pointer uninitialized, and an application subsequently calls heif_item_get_item_data().
Affected software
libheif
Remediation
Install security update from vendor's repository.