# CVE-2018-8975: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service via heap-based buffer over-read in Netpbm by providing a crafted image file.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Mar 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vq9h-w3r5-w484, MGASA-2019-0183, SUSE-SU-2019:0855-1, openSUSE-SU-2019:1200-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:11084-1

## What is CVE-2018-8975?

CVE-2018-8975 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The pm_mallocarray2 function in lib/util/mallocvar.c in Netpbm through 10.81.03 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read) via a crafted image file, as demonstrated by pbmmask.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8975?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `netpbm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 | All versions | 10.80.1-3.3.36 |
| `netpbm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 | All versions | 10.80.1-3.3.36 |
| `netpbm` | openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | All versions | 10.80.1-lp150.2.3.1 |
| `netpbm` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 10.93.0-1.6 |

Products: Netpbm Project Netpbm.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8975?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-8975 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8975 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-2580](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2580/): Memory corruption in netpbm (medium 4.5)
- [CVE-2017-2581](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2581/): Memory corruption in netpbm (medium 4.5)
- [CVE-2017-2579](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2579/): Memory corruption in netpbm (low 3.3)
- [CVE-2017-2586](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2586/): Null dereference in netpbm (low 3.3)
- [CVE-2017-2587](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2587/): Denial of service in netpbm (low 3.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8975 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8975 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8975 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2018-8975/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8975/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8975
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8975
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8975

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8975/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.