The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-64181 affects the OpenEXR library, a widely used open-source implementation of the EXR image file format, primarily utilized in the motion picture and visual effects industry. The issue is a use of uninitialized variable (CWE-457) within the generic_unpack function, discovered through fuzz testing with Valgrind, which reported conditional branches dependent on uninitialized memory. This flaw exists in OpenEXR versions 3.3.0 through 3.3.5 and 3.4.0 through 3.4.2. The uninitialized memory usage can cause undefined behavior, including potential application crashes or denial of service conditions when processing crafted EXR files. The vulnerability does not require authentication, user interaction, or network access, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), meaning local access is necessary to trigger the flaw. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 2.0, reflecting low severity due to limited impact and exploitation complexity. No known exploits are currently in the wild. The issue was resolved in OpenEXR versions 3.3.6 and 3.4.3 by initializing the affected variables properly to prevent undefined behavior. Since OpenEXR is integral to many media production pipelines, especially in visual effects and animation, the vulnerability could impact software that depends on this library for image processing tasks.

For European organizations, particularly those in the media, film, and animation sectors that rely on OpenEXR for high-dynamic-range image processing, this vulnerability could cause application instability or denial of service if maliciously crafted EXR files are processed. While the impact on confidentiality and integrity is minimal, availability could be affected if critical rendering or image processing tools crash unexpectedly. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation, reducing the risk for organizations without direct user access to vulnerable systems. However, in environments where untrusted EXR files are processed—such as collaborative studios or cloud-based rendering farms—there is a risk of disruption. The low CVSS score indicates limited overall risk, but organizations should still prioritize patching to maintain operational stability and avoid potential downtime in production workflows.

European organizations should upgrade OpenEXR to versions 3.3.6 or 3.4.3 or later to eliminate the vulnerability. In addition, organizations should implement strict file validation and sandboxing for EXR file processing to contain potential crashes and prevent denial of service from malformed files. Restrict local access to systems handling EXR files to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of exploitation. Integrate fuzz testing and memory analysis tools like Valgrind into the software development lifecycle for applications using OpenEXR to detect similar issues proactively. Maintain up-to-date software inventories to quickly identify and remediate vulnerable OpenEXR versions. For cloud or shared environments, enforce strict input validation and consider isolating image processing workloads to limit impact from potential crashes.