dbcve.org
Stb Image.hApplication · Nothings

CVE-2025-3406

MEDIUM · 6.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-04-08
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 2.13 or later.
See remediation →
72/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable 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
A vulnerability was found in Nothings stb up to f056911. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is the function stbhw_build_tileset_from_image of the component Header Array Handler. The manipulation of the argument w leads to out-of-bounds read. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. This product is using a rolling release to provide continious delivery. Therefore, no version details for affected nor updated releases are available. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.

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

Out-of-bounds read vulnerability in stb library's stbhw_build_tileset_from_image function within the Header Array Handler component. The manipulation of the width argument 'w' allows reading memory outside allocated boundaries, potentially leading to information disclosure or unpredictable behavior. This is a memory safety flaw in a widely-used image processing library.

MitigationImplement rigorous bounds validation on the 'w' argument before any memory access operations in stbhw_build_tileset_from_image. Ensure all array indices are validated against allocated buffer sizes. Consider adding asserts or runtime checks to catch invalid parameters early.

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:<= 2.13

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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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 your project files for 'stb_image.h' and note its file path. Also check any package manager dependencies (conan, vcpkg, apt, etc.) that may include stb.
    Affected if The file is present and is version 2.13 or earlier, or the version cannot be determined and is assumed to be <= 2.13
  2. Identify the stb library version
    Open stb_image.h and search for a version string near the top of the file, typically in a comment like '#define STB_IMAGE_VERSION' or similar version macros. Compare against the affected range <= 2.13.
    Affected if The version is 2.13 or any version lower than 2.13, or no version is defined (older release)
  3. Check for usage of stbhw_build_tileset_from_image
    Search your codebase for calls to the function 'stbhw_build_tileset_from_image'. This function is part of the stb_write (stbw) library component, not stb_image itself, but is affected when stb_image.h is used as a dependency.
    Affected if This function is called in your code or in any library that depends on your stb integration
  4. Identify Header Array Handler usage
    Search for references to 'header array', 'stbhw', or related tile/tilemap functions. The vulnerability is in the Header Array Handler component within the tileset building functions.
    Affected if Your code or dependencies use tileset-related functions from stb that invoke the Header Array Handler
  5. Check input validation on the 'w' width parameter
    Review code paths that call stbhw_build_tileset_from_image. Trace where the 'w' (width) argument originates - whether it comes from image dimensions, user input, or file data. Verify if bounds checking exists before the function call.
    Affected if The 'w' parameter is passed without validation against the actual image buffer dimensions, or no runtime bounds checks are performed

You are affected if stb_image.h version 2.13 or lower is in use AND code path calls stbhw_build_tileset_from_image (or related tileset functions) with unvalidated width parameters to the Header Array Handler.

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
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 2.13
Interim mitigation

Implement rigorous bounds validation on the 'w' argument before any memory access operations in stbhw_build_tileset_from_image. Ensure all array indices are validated against allocated buffer sizes. Consider adding asserts or runtime checks to catch invalid parameters early.

Recommended fix Low confidence
  1. No patch or upgrade is available for this vulnerability.
  2. The vendor was contacted but did not respond.
  3. Monitor the stb project repository (github.com/nothings/stb) for future security updates.
  4. Consider implementing input validation around the stbhw_build_tileset_from_image function to mitigate out-of-bounds read risks until an official fix is released.

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

Fix this in Stb Image.h Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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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-2025-3406 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
  • 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