# CVE-2024-7868: Uninitialized variable in Xpdf 4.05 due to invalid JPEG header

> An attacker can cause a denial of service via a crafted PDF file exploiting an uninitialized variable in the JPEG decoder.

- **Severity:** Low 2.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 6 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** AZL-47857, AZL-47871, GHSA-x6qm-4c7w-8wm7, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-7868

## What is CVE-2024-7868?

CVE-2024-7868 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 15 Aug 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Xpdf 4.05 (and earlier), invalid header info in a DCT (JPEG) stream can lead to an uninitialized variable in the DCT decoder. The proof-of-concept PDF file causes a segfault attempting to read from an invalid address.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource), CWE-457 (Use of Uninitialized Variable)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-7868?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Xpdfreader Xpdf.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-7868?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2024-7868 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-7868 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-2024-7868 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-7868 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 15 Aug 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-7868 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-2024-7868/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-7868/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-7868
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7868
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-7868

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-7868/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.