# CVE-2024-24794: Use after free in libdicom

> A use-after-free in libdicom allows attackers to execute code or cause denial of service via crafted DICOM files.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q769-33w3-x2hh

## What is CVE-2024-24794?

CVE-2024-24794 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Imaging Data Commons libdicom, published on 20 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the DICOM Element Parsing as implemented in Imaging Data Commons libdicom 1.0.5. A specially crafted DICOM file can cause premature freeing of memory that is used later. To trigger this vulnerability, an attacker would need to induce the vulnerable application to process a malicious DICOM image.The Use-After-Free happens in the `parse_meta_sequence_end()` parsing the Sequence Value Represenations.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-24794?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Nih Libdicom.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-24794?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-24794 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-24794 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-24794 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Imaging Data Commons libdicom

- [CVE-2024-24793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24793/): Use after free in libdicom (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-24794 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-24794 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Imaging Data Commons libdicom, published on 20 Feb 2024. 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-2024-24794 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Imaging Data Commons libdicom. 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-2024-24794/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24794/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-24794
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-24794
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-24794

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24794/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.