# CVE-2025-12474: libjxl: Uninitialized memory read in decoder due to incorrect optimization in patch handling

> A crafted file triggers uninitialized memory reads in libjxl, potentially exposing sensitive data to attackers.

- **Severity:** Low 2.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 11 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-12474, GHSA-9gvg-fw8p-72fv, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-12474

## What is CVE-2025-12474?

CVE-2025-12474 is a low-severity vulnerability in Google libjxl, published on 11 Feb 2026. 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 specially-crafted file can cause libjxl's decoder to read pixel data from uninitialized (but allocated) memory.

This can be done by causing the decoder to reference an outside-image-bound area in a subsequent patches. An incorrect optimization causes the decoder to omit populating those areas.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-12474?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Libjxl Project Libjxl.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-12474?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-12474 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-12474 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Google libjxl

- [CVE-2021-27804](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27804/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-1837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1837/): libjxl: Out-of-bounds write in grayscale color transformation when using LCMS2 (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2023-35790](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35790/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-36691](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36691/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-11403](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11403/): Out of Bounds Memory Read/Write in libjxl (medium 6.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-12474 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-12474 is a low-severity vulnerability in Google libjxl, published on 11 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-12474 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google libjxl. 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-2025-12474/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12474/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-12474
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-12474
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-12474

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12474/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.