CVE-2026-44638 LOW

CVE-2026-44638: libsixel: NULL pointer dereference

Vendor Saitoha
Product libsixel
Weakness CWE-476
Published May 14, 2026
Last update May 15, 2026

CVSS base score

2.5/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity High
Privileges required None
User interaction Required
Confidentiality None
Integrity None

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. From to 1.8.7-r1, a wrong NULL check after an allocation call in sixel_decode_raw and sixel_decode causes a NULL pointer dereference whenever the allocation fails. The check tests the address of the output parameter (always non-NULL) instead of the value the malloc returned. On allocation failure, the function continues and writes through a NULL pointer, crashing the process. This is a denial of service against any caller of these public APIs that hits a low-memory condition. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.8.7-r2.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

May 14, 2026 CVE published
May 15, 2026 Record updated