CVE-2026-53532
OpenEXR: Unhandled assert abort in HTJ2K decoder via crafted QCD marker (DoS)
Description
OpenEXR is the reference implementation and specification for the EXR image format, widely used in the motion picture industry. In versions 3.4.0 through 3.4.12, a crafted HTJ2K-compressed EXR file causes an unconditional process abort in any application that calls exr_start_read() on untrusted input, resulting in denial of service. The crash is triggered by a QCD marker whose lower five bits are zero, which OpenEXR passes into the vendored OpenJPH library while constructing the codestream and evaluating its quantization delta parameters. OpenJPH uses an assertion rather than a recoverable error to validate those bits, so any invalid value calls abort() directly and cannot be intercepted by surrounding error handling, a problem compounded by OpenEXR wrapping only its internal HT header parser in error handling while leaving the later codestream read and construction calls unprotected. This issue has been resolved in version 3.4.13.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 24, 2026, 11:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 12, 2026, 3:10 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update OpenEXR to version 3.4.13.
- Avoid processing untrusted HTJ2K compressed EXR files.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-53532.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/releases/tag/v3.4.13 | |
| https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-2f85-52wj-hc3c |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-53532 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-53532
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-53532 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-53532 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Translated by [email protected]
Oct. 12, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: OpenEXR de Academy Software Foundation, Description: OpenEXR es la implementación de referencia y especificación para el formato de imagen EXR, ampliamente utilizado en la industria cinematográfica. En las versiones 3.4.0 a 3.4.12, un archivo EXR comprimido con HTJ2K manipulado provoca una interrupción incondicional del proceso en cualquier aplicación que llama a exr_start_read() con entrada no confiable, resultando en denegación de servicio. El fallo es provocado por un marcador QCD cuandos cinco bits inferiores son cero, que OpenEXR pasa a la biblioteca OpenJPH de terceros mientras construye el flujo de código y evalúa sus parámetros delta de cuantificación. OpenJPH utiliza una aserción en lugar de un error recuperable para validar esos bits, por lo que cualquier valor no válido llama directamente a abort() y no puede ser interceptado por el manejo de errores circundante, un problema agravado por el hecho de que OpenEXR envuelve solo su analizador de encabezado HT interno en el manejo de errores mientras deja desprotegidas las llamadas posteriores de lectura y construcción del flujo de código. Este problema ha sido resuelto en la versión 3.4.13. -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
Aug. 28, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/releases/tag/v3.4.13 Added Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-2f85-52wj-hc3c Removed Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/releases/tag/v3.4.13 Removed Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-2f85-52wj-hc3c -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 28, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-53532', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'poc'}, {'automatable': 'yes'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-08-25T18:25:07.407407Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 24, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'AcademySoftwareFoundation', 'product': 'openexr', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '>= 3.4.0, < 3.4.13'}]}] Added Description OpenEXR is the reference implementation and specification for the EXR image format, widely used in the motion picture industry. In versions 3.4.0 through 3.4.12, a crafted HTJ2K-compressed EXR file causes an unconditional process abort in any application that calls exr_start_read() on untrusted input, resulting in denial of service. The crash is triggered by a QCD marker whose lower five bits are zero, which OpenEXR passes into the vendored OpenJPH library while constructing the codestream and evaluating its quantization delta parameters. OpenJPH uses an assertion rather than a recoverable error to validate those bits, so any invalid value calls abort() directly and cannot be intercepted by surrounding error handling, a problem compounded by OpenEXR wrapping only its internal HT header parser in error handling while leaving the later codestream read and construction calls unprotected. This issue has been resolved in version 3.4.13. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CWE CWE-617 Added Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/releases/tag/v3.4.13 Added Reference https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-2f85-52wj-hc3c