# CVE-2026-22695: LIBPNG has a heap buffer over-read in png_image_read_direct_scaled (regression from CVE-2025-65018 fix)

> A heap buffer over-read in libpng allows attackers to cause denial of service or disclose memory contents via crafted PNG files.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/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:** 12 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-22695, AZL-74267, AZL-74280, BELL-CVE-2026-22695, CLEANSTART-2026-ZH25873, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-22695, ECHO-be3c-abc2-6e0d, GHSA-mmq5-27w3-rxpp, JLSEC-2026-7, MINI-wq85-7h75-p3c8, ROOT-OS-ALPINE-315-CVE-2026-22695, SUSE-SU-2026:0192-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-22695

## What is CVE-2026-22695?

CVE-2026-22695 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libpng Libpng, published on 12 Jan 2026. 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

LIBPNG is a reference library for use in applications that read, create, and manipulate PNG (Portable Network Graphics) raster image files. From 1.6.51 to 1.6.53, there is a heap buffer over-read in the libpng simplified API function png_image_finish_read when processing interlaced 16-bit PNGs with 8-bit output format and non-minimal row stride. This is a regression introduced by the fix for CVE-2025-65018. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.6.54.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-22695?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `libpng16` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.6.8-15.15.1 |

Products: Libpng Libpng.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-22695?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-22695 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-22695 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Libpng Libpng

- [CVE-2017-12652](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12652/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-14550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14550/): Out-of-bounds write in libpng (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-25646](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25646/): LIBPNG has a heap buffer overflow in png_set_quantize (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2026-33636](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33636/): LIBPNG has ARM NEON Palette Expansion Out-of-Bounds Read on AArch64 (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2026-33416](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33416/): LIBPNG has use-after-free via pointer aliasing in `png_set_tRNS` and `png_set_PLTE` (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-22695 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-22695 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Libpng Libpng, published on 12 Jan 2026. 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-2026-22695 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Libpng Libpng. 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-2026-22695/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22695/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-22695
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22695
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-22695

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22695/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.