CVE-2026-22695: pnggroup libpng · Out-of-bounds Read
Affects pnggroup libpngSource CVE Database V5
Mentioned vulnerabilities
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.1 Medium : upgrade to 1.6.54 when convenient.
Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 12% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 1.6.54
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 12 Jan 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 2026-10-25.
What to do
Upgrade libpng and pnggroup/libpng to 1.6.54.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| pnggrouplibpng | Affected
| Fixed in
|
GitHubpnggroup/libpngpkg:github/pnggroup/libpngOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
European organizations should prioritize updating libpng to version 1.6.54 or later to eliminate this vulnerability. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, implement strict controls on user privileges to limit local access and reduce the risk of exploitation. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing for software that processes PNG images to contain potential crashes and prevent escalation. Monitor logs and application behavior for unusual crashes or instability related to image processing. Conduct thorough testing of image handling workflows to identify and isolate vulnerable components. Additionally, educate users on the risks of opening untrusted PNG files, especially in environments where user interaction is required for exploitation. For custom or embedded systems using libpng, coordinate with vendors or development teams to ensure timely updates and consider temporary mitigations such as disabling processing of interlaced 16-bit PNGs with 8-bit output if feasible.
Description
CVE-2026-22695 is a medium severity heap buffer over-read vulnerability in the libpng library versions 1.6.51 to 1.6.53. It occurs in the png_image_finish_read function when processing interlaced 16-bit PNG images with 8-bit output format and non-minimal row stride. This vulnerability is a regression introduced by a previous fix and can lead to denial of service due to application crashes. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, with no known exploits in the wild. The issue is fixed in libpng version 1.6.
References
- github.com/pnggroup/libpng/security/advisories/GHSA-mmq5-27w3-rxpp (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/pnggroup/libpng/issues/778 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/218612ddd6b17944e21eda56caf8b4bf7779d1ea (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/pnggroup/libpng/commit/e4f7ad4ea2 (opens in a new tab)