# CVE-2021-36493: Memory corruption in n/a

> Attackers can crash the application via a crafted command due to a buffer overflow in pdfimages.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Feb 2023
- **Updated:** 27 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-32jj-wp9g-2g8g, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-36493

## What is CVE-2021-36493?

CVE-2021-36493 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 3 Feb 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in pdfimages in xpdf 4.03 allows attackers to crash the application via crafted command.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-36493?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Xpdfreader Xpdf.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-36493?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-36493 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-36493 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-36493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Xpdfreader Xpdf

- [CVE-2022-38928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38928/): Null dereference in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-38222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38222/): Use after free in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-33108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33108/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-30524](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-30524/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-24996](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24996/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-36493 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-36493 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 3 Feb 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-36493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Xpdfreader Xpdf. 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-2021-36493/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36493/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-36493
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-36493
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-36493

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36493/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.