# CVE-2023-0996: Memory corruption in libheif

> A buffer overflow in libheif's strided image parsing allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via crafted image files.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Feb 2023
- **Updated:** 11 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-0996, GHSA-3hqh-h748-xjx8, MGASA-2023-0144, SUSE-SU-2023:1766-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-0996

## What is CVE-2023-0996?

CVE-2023-0996 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Struktur libheif, published on 24 Feb 2023. 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

There is a vulnerability in the strided image data parsing code in the emscripten wrapper for libheif. An attacker could exploit this through a crafted image file to cause a buffer overflow in linear memory during a memcpy call.

Weakness: CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0996?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `libheif` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4 | All versions | 1.12.0-150400.3.8.1 |
| `libheif` | openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | All versions | 1.12.0-150400.3.8.1 |

Products: Struktur Libheif.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0996?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-0996 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0996 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Struktur libheif

- [CVE-2026-32740](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32740/): libheif: Heap-Buffer-Overflow Write in Grid Tile Chroma Compositing (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-49460](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49460/): Null dereference in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-49462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49462/): Null dereference in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-49463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49463/): Null dereference in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-49464](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49464/): Null dereference in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0996 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0996 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Struktur libheif, published on 24 Feb 2023. 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-2023-0996 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Struktur libheif. 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-2023-0996/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0996/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0996
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0996
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0996

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0996/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.