CVE-2026-42170: Heap-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability Exists
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 23:24 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (redhat) | CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 |
|---|
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 8% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 8 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 7 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6gimp | Affected– | Fixed in– |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7gimp | Affected– | Fixed in– |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8gimp:2.8/gimp | Affected– | Fixed in– |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9gimp | Affected– | Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Users should avoid opening untrusted DDS image files with GIMP. Only process DDS files from trusted sources. If GIMP is not essential, consider removing the gimp package to eliminate this attack vector. Red Hat's advisory does not indicate an available fix yet, so mitigation relies on avoiding untrusted files and removing the software if possible.
Description
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the GIMP DDS file parser. It occurs when a crafted DDS file declares a D3D9 pixel format but specifies a lower bits-per-pixel value, causing the loader to allocate an undersized heap buffer. This leads to a write beyond the buffer boundary, potentially corrupting heap metadata and enabling code execution. The vulnerability is triggered when opening a malicious DDS file with GIMP. Users should avoid opening untrusted DDS files or consider removing GIMP if not needed.