CVE-2015-8540

Integer underflow in the png_check_keyword function in pngwutil.c in libpng 0.90 through 0.99, 1.0.x before 1.0.66, 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.56, 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.19, and 1.5.x before 1.5.26 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a space character as a keyword in a PNG image, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.

Published: 2016-04-14 Last update: 2026-05-06 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2015-8540 is rated High Risk (67.8/100): CVSS High severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 13.55%, 94th percentile). EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2015-8540

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-02-19 13.86% 13.55% -0.31%
2 2026-02-18 13.55% 13.86% +0.31%
3 2026-01-25 — 13.55% —

Full EPSS history (28 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2015-8540

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
8.8 3.0 HIGH
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 2.8 5.9 [email protected]
9.3 2.0 HIGH
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:M)
Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C)
Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C)
Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:C)
Complete availability impact.
 8.6 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2015-8540

OS Trackers for CVE-2015-8540

vendor priority summary link
gentoo normal CVE-2015-8540: 1 GLSA(s) (201611-08), 1 atom(s) (media-libs/libpng); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2015-8540
redhat low — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8540
suse low — https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-8540/
ubuntu medium CVE-2015-8540 medium priority: Ubuntu including 4 source packages (chromium-browser, firefox, libpng, thunderbird), 20 status rows across 5 suites (precise, trusty, upstream, vivid, wily): not-affected 11, released 4, DNE 3, needs-triage 1, pending 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8540

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2015-8540

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
redhat enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary 5.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary 6.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_hpc_node 6.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_hpc_node:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_supplementary 5.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_supplementary:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_supplementary 6.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_workstation_supplementary 6.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation_supplementary:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.1 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.2 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.3 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.4 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.5 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.6 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.7 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.8 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.9 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.10 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.11 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.12 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.13 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.14 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.15 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.16 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.17 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.18 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.19 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.20 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.21 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.22 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.23 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.24 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.25 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.26 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.27 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.28 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.29 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.30 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.31 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.32 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.33 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.34 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.35 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.36 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.36:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.37 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.38 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.39 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.40 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.40:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.41 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.41:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.42 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.42:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.43 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.43:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.43 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.43:devel:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.44 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.44:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.45 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.45:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.45 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.45:devel:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.46 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.46:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.46 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.46:devel:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.47 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.47:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.47 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.47:beta:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.48 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.48:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.48 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.48:betas:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.49 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.49:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.50 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.50:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.51 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.51:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.52 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.52:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.53 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.53:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.54 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.54:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.2.55 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.2.55:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.5 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.6 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.7 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.8 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.9 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.10 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.11 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
libpng libpng 1.0.12 cpe:2.3:a:libpng:libpng:1.0.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2015-8540

URL Tags
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-December/174435.html
http://sourceforge.net/p/libpng/bugs/244/
http://sourceforge.net/p/libpng/code/ci/d9006f683c641793252d92254a75ae9b815b42ed/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng10/1.0.66/ Patch
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng12/1.2.56/ Patch
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng14/1.4.19/ Patch
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpng/files/libpng15/1.5.26/ Patch
http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3443
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/10/6
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/10/7
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/11/1
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/11/2
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/17/10
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/80592
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:1430
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201611-08
cvelogic Threat Intelligence