FreetypeApplication

CVE-2008-1807

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v2.0 Published 2008-06-16

Mitigation only

No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.

See remediation →

84/100

Remediation priority · High

Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

FreeType2 before 2.3.6 allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via an invalid "number of axes" field in a Printer Font Binary (PFB) file, which triggers a free of arbitrary memory locations, leading to memory corruption.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · high confidence

FreeType2 before 2.3.6 contains a heap corruption vulnerability in its Printer Font Binary (PFB) parser. When processing a PFB file with an invalid 'number of axes' field, the parser incorrectly calls free() on arbitrary memory addresses, leading to heap corruption and potential arbitrary code execution via context-dependent attacker-controlled input.

MitigationUpgrade FreeType2 to version 2.3.6 or later. Alternatively, sanitize or disable PFB font file processing in applications using the library until an upgrade can be performed.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

FreetypeApplication

Affected:= 1.3.1= 2.3.3= 2.3.4= 2.3.5

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Authentication: None
Confidentiality: Partial
Integrity: Partial
Availability: Partial

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Identify installed FreeType version

Run 'freetype-config --version' or check the library file version (e.g., libfreetype.so.6.x.x). On systems with pkg-config: 'pkg-config --modversion freetype2'. For Windows, inspect freetype.dll properties or use a tool like 'strings' to find version strings in the freetype binary.

Affected if Version matches 1.3.1, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, or 2.3.5 (anything below 2.3.6)
Confirm application uses FreeType to parse fonts

Identify applications on the system that link against libfreetype (e.g., using 'ldd' on binaries or checking process memory for FreeType usage). Common consumers include font viewers, PDF readers, and graphics software.

Affected if Any application on the system uses FreeType to load fonts and processes PFB font files
Determine if PFB font processing is active

Monitor or inspect which font files are being loaded. PFB (Printer Font Binary) files typically have .pfb extensions. Check application logs, font cache directories, or user-provided font paths for .pfb files.

Affected if A vulnerable FreeType version is installed AND the system or its applications load or parse PFB font files
Verify font file handling in custom applications

If you develop or run custom software using FreeType, review code that calls FT_New_Face, FT_Open_Face, or similar functions to determine if PFB format (FT_FACE_FORMAT_PFB or detection by extension) is being parsed.

Affected if Custom code built against a vulnerable FreeType version processes PFB font input without additional sanitization

You are affected if FreeType version 1.3.1, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, or 2.3.5 is installed AND your system or applications process Printer Font Binary (PFB) font files.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

From vendor data

Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime

Mitigation

Upgrade FreeType2 to version 2.3.6 or later. Alternatively, sanitize or disable PFB font file processing in applications using the library until an upgrade can be performed.

Fix this in Freetype Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation2.0 h
Implementation4.0 h
Testing8.0 h
Review / QA2.0 h

16.0 hours of engineering $2,680

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Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2008-1807 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2008-1807?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsA vendor remedy is published

Severity 7.5 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 3.6%

Affects: Freetype

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Fix this in Freetype 16 hrs · Moderate

Typical engagement from $2,680

Get a fix See the full breakdown ↓

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2008-1807 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

Check your environment

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References