Description
libheif is a HEIF and AVIF file format decoder and encoder. In 1.23.0 and earlier, a crafted image sequence with a 2x2 primary plane and a 256x256 auxiliary alpha plane can cause attacker-controlled heap corruption during a normal decode and re-encode workflow. Track_Visual::decode_next_image_sample() calls transfer_channel_from_image_as() without checking that the auxiliary alpha dimensions match the main frame. The resulting inconsistent image reaches heif_track_decode_next_image() and then heif_context_encode_image(). In unc_encoder::encode(), unc_encoder_component_interleave::encode_tile() sizes its buffer with compute_tile_data_size_bytes() using the primary dimensions but copies each component using its actual plane dimensions. The oversized alpha plane is therefore copied beyond the allocation, causing an out-of-bounds write; the inverse size mismatch can also produce an out-of-bounds read. This issue is fixed in version 1.23.1.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| strukturag | libheif | < 1.23.1 | — |
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 | libheif | 1.23.1-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | libheif | 1.21.2-3ubuntu0.5 | USN-8774-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | libheif | 1.17.6-1ubuntu4.8 | USN-8683-1 |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | libheif | 1.12.0-2ubuntu0.1~esm4 | USN-8683-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | libheif | 1.6.1-1ubuntu0.1~esm4 | USN-8683-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | libheif | 1.1.0-2ubuntu0.1~esm4 | USN-8683-1 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP7 | libheif | 1.23.1-150700.3.18.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3597-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | libheif | 1.23.1-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23320-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | libheif | 1.23.1-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23320-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | libheif | 1.23.1-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11416-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | libheif | 1.23.1-160000.1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:21644-1 |
Advisories 6
- USN-8774-1 libheif vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 18, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:23320-1 Security update for libheif SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 10, 2026
- USN-8683-1 libheif vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Aug 31, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21644-1 Security update for libheif SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Aug 27, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3597-1 Security update for libheif SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Aug 13, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11416-1 gdk-pixbuf-loader-libheif-1.23.1-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Aug 2, 2026