# CVE-2018-3977: Memory corruption in Simple DirectMedia Layer

> A heap overflow in SDL2_image allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by displaying a specially crafted XCF image.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-3977, GHSA-9532-gqc7-9wv7, SUSE-SU-2018:3861-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-3977

## What is CVE-2018-3977?

CVE-2018-3977 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Simple DirectMedia Layer, published on 1 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the XCF image rendering functionality of SDL2_image-2.0.3. A specially crafted XCF image can cause a heap overflow, resulting in code execution. An attacker can display a specially crafted image to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-3977?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `SDL_image` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 1.2.6-84.46.1 |

Products: Libsdl Sdl Image.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-3977?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-3977 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-3977 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Simple DirectMedia Layer

- [CVE-2026-35444](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35444/): SDL_image has a heap buffer overflow READ via unchecked colormap index in XCF loader (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-3977 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-3977 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Simple DirectMedia Layer, published on 1 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-3977 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Simple DirectMedia Layer. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3977/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3977/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-3977
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-3977
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-3977

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3977/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.