Description
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. In versions 1.8.7 and prior, when built with the --with-gdk-pixbuf2 option, a use-after-free vulnerability exists in load_with_gdkpixbuf() in loader.c. The cleanup path manually frees the sixel_frame_t object and its internal buffers without consulting the reference count, even though the object was created via the refcounted constructor sixel_frame_new() and exposed to the public callback. A callback that calls sixel_frame_ref(frame) to retain a logically valid reference will hold a dangling pointer after sixel_helper_load_image_file() returns, and any subsequent access to the frame or its fields triggers a use-after-free confirmed by AddressSanitizer. The root cause is a consistency failure between two cleanup strategies in the same codebase: sixel_frame_unref() is used in load_with_builtin() but raw free() is used in load_with_gdkpixbuf(). An attacker supplying a crafted image to any application built against libsixel with gdk-pixbuf2 support can trigger this reliably, potentially leading to information disclosure, memory corruption, or code execution. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.7-r1.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| saitoha | libsixel | < 1.8.7-r1 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | libsixel | 1:1.8.7-r2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | libsixel | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | libsixel | 1.10.5-3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:12420-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12420-1 libsixel-bash-completion-1.10.5-3.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Nov 5, 2026