# CVE-2020-13531: Use after free in Pixar

> A use-after-free in Pixar OpenUSD allows arbitrary code execution when a victim opens a specially crafted USD file.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 3 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-84rj-w682-g977

## What is CVE-2020-13531?

CVE-2020-13531 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Pixar, published on 3 Dec 2020. 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

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in a way Pixar OpenUSD 20.08 processes reference paths textual USD files. A specially crafted file can trigger the reuse of a freed memory which can result in further memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. To trigger this vulnerability, the victim needs to open an attacker-provided malformed file.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-13531?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pixar Openusd.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-13531?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-13531 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-13531 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-13531 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Pixar

- [CVE-2020-13493](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13493/): Memory corruption in Pixar (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6148/): Memory corruption in Pixar (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6149](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6149/): Memory corruption in Pixar (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6150](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6150/): Memory corruption in Pixar (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6155](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6155/): Memory corruption in Pixar (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-13531 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-13531 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Pixar, published on 3 Dec 2020. 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-2020-13531 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Pixar. 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-2020-13531/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13531/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13531
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13531
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-13531

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13531/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.