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Stb Image.hApplication · Nothings

CVE-2023-45663

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-10-21
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
58/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
No privileges

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.

NVD · unedited
stb_image is a single file MIT licensed library for processing images. The stbi__getn function reads a specified number of bytes from context (typically a file) into the specified buffer. In case the file stream points to the end, it returns zero. There are two places where its return value is not checked: In the `stbi__hdr_load` function and in the `stbi__tga_load` function. The latter of the two is likely more exploitable as an attacker may also control the size of an uninitialized buffer.

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.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

stb_image library's stbi__getn function returns zero when EOF is reached, but this return value is not checked in stbi__hdr_load and stbi__tga_load functions. This leads to reading uninitialized memory into buffers when the file stream ends prematurely. The TGA loader variant is more exploitable as attackers can control the size of the uninitialized buffer.

MitigationAdd return value checks for stbi__getn calls in both stbi__hdr_load and stbi__tga_load functions to ensure proper buffer initialization before use, especially when processing untrusted image files.

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

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.

NVD · CPE data
Stb Image.hApplication
Affected:= 2.28

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.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

dbcve checks

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

  1. Locate stb_image.h in your codebase
    Search for files named 'stb_image.h' or 'stb.h' containing the stb_image library, or check your dependencies for 'stb_image' or 'nothings/stb'
    Affected if The library is present in your project dependencies or source code
  2. Identify the stb_image version
    Open stb_image.h and look for the version definition near the top of the file, typically in a comment like 'version 2.xx' or a #define STB_IMAGE_VERSION
    Affected if The version is exactly 2.28 (note: earlier versions may have similar unchecked return values, so any version using the vulnerable functions warrants investigation)
  3. Check for usage of stbi__hdr_load function
    Search your codebase for calls to 'stbi__hdr_load' or the public wrapper 'stbi_load_from_memory' when loading HDR files
    Affected if Your code loads .hdr or .rad image files using stb_image
  4. Check for usage of stbi__tga_load function
    Search your codebase for calls to 'stbi__tga_load' or the public wrapper when loading TGA files
    Affected if Your code loads .tga image files using stb_image
  5. Determine if untrusted image input is processed
    Review whether stb_image is used to process image files from untrusted sources such as user uploads, network requests, or external files without prior validation
    Affected if You process HDR or TGA files from untrusted or user-controlled sources without sanitizing the file size or validating the file is complete before loading

You are affected if you use stb_image version 2.28 and load HDR or TGA files from untrusted sources, as the unchecked EOF return from stbi__getn can cause uninitialized memory to be read into image buffers.

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

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Add return value checks for stbi__getn calls in both stbi__hdr_load and stbi__tga_load functions to ensure proper buffer initialization before use, especially when processing untrusted image files.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest stb_image.h (version 2.29 or higher)

  1. 1. Download the latest version of stb_image.h from the official stb repository (github.com/nothings/stb)
  2. 2. Replace the existing stb_image.h version 2.28 with the new version
  3. 3. Recompile any projects that link against stb_image.h
  4. 4. Verify that the new version includes return value checks for stbi__getn in both stbi__hdr_load and stbi__tga_load functions
Caveat Minimal - stb_image.h is a single-file library; ensure no local modifications are lost during replacement

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Stb Image.h Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
13.0 hours of engineering $2,280
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-45663 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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