CVE-2026-73639

CVE-2026-73639

Imager::File::PNG versions from 1.003 before 1.004 for Perl write past the end of the row buffer reading a PNG with a tRNS transparency chunk in read_direct8. With a tRNS chunk, read_direct8() adds an alpha channel to the image it creates but still sizes the row buffer from the original channel count. libpng expands the transparency into that extra channel, so png_read_row() fills one channel more than the buffer holds, at one byte per sample, and writes width bytes past the end of the allocation. Palette images go to read_paletted() and 16-bit images to read_direct16(), which sizes its buffer from png_get_rowbytes() and allocates enough for the expanded row. The same reader ships bundled in the Imager distribution. Reading an attacker-supplied PNG through Imager->read() corrupts the heap, which can crash the process.

Vulnerability class: Buffer Overflow

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 9.1 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.007 (53.3th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 53rd percentile — 53.3% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2026-73639: held from 0.007 to 0.007.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.007 · newest: 0.007 · change: 0.000

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-73639?
CVE-2026-73639 is a critical-severity vulnerability, classified under Out-of-bounds Write. CVSS score: 9.1/10. Published 2026-09-17.
How severe is CVE-2026-73639?
Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.1 out of 10.