# CVE-2024-2824: Matthias-Wandel jhead exif.c PrintFormatNumber heap-based overflow

> A heap-based buffer overflow in jhead's PrintFormatNumber function allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 22 Mar 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-2824, GHSA-fqcm-gr77-6gqg, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-2824

## What is CVE-2024-2824?

CVE-2024-2824 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Matthias-Wandel jhead, published on 22 Mar 2024. 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 vulnerability was found in Matthias-Wandel jhead 3.08 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function PrintFormatNumber of the file exif.c. The manipulation leads to heap-based buffer overflow. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-257711.

Weakness: CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-2824?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-2824?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-2824 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-2824 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-2824 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-2824 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-2824 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Matthias-Wandel jhead, published on 22 Mar 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-2824 exists.

Affected product: Matthias-Wandel jhead. 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-2024-2824/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2824/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-2824
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-2824
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-2824

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2824/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.