# CVE-2020-35538: Null dereference in libjpeg-turbo

> A crafted input file causes a null pointer dereference in libjpeg-turbo, leading to a denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 31 Aug 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2020-35538, AZL-10824, AZL-43462, AZL-44676, CLEANSTART-2026-AW54211, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-35538, GHSA-grwc-h387-x9h2, OESA-2022-1915, OESA-2022-1916, SUSE-SU-2022:3475-1, SUSE-SU-2022:3523-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-35538

## What is CVE-2020-35538?

CVE-2020-35538 is a medium-severity vulnerability in libjpeg-turbo, published on 31 Aug 2022. 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

A crafted input file could cause a null pointer dereference in jcopy_sample_rows() when processed by libjpeg-turbo.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-35538?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.5.3-31.28.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg62-turbo` | openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |
| `libjpeg-turbo` | openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.2 | All versions | 1.5.3-150000.32.5.1 |

Products: Libjpeg-Turbo Libjpeg-Turbo.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-35538?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2020-35538 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-35538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in libjpeg-turbo

- [CVE-2020-17541](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-17541/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-20330](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20330/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-13790](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13790/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2023-2804](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2804/): Memory corruption in libjpeg-turbo (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2018-19664](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19664/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-35538 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-35538 is a medium-severity vulnerability in libjpeg-turbo, published on 31 Aug 2022. 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-2020-35538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: libjpeg-turbo. 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-2020-35538/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35538/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-35538
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35538
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-35538

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35538/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.