# CVE-2026-5201: GNOME gdk-pixbuf heap buffer overflow in JPEG loader

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-5201-gnome-gdk-pixbuf-heap-buffer-overflow-in-jpeg-loader  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-03-31. Updated: 2026-05-19  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-5201 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-03-31

A vulnerability has been identified in gdk-pixbuf, a widely used library for loading and displaying images in Linux environments. By tricking a system into processing a specially crafted JPEG image—such as through automated thumbnail generation—an attacker can cause applications to crash. This can lead to a denial of service, disrupting operations and affecting the availability of systems that rely on this library for image processing.

Technologies: [Gnome Gdk-Pixbuf2](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gdk-pixbuf). Vendors: [Gnome](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gnome).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-5201 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-5201 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-5201?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 31 March 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gnome Gdk-Pixbuf2 2.42.12-4, 2.42.6-6, 2.42.12, 2.42.6.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-5201?** A patch was published on 2026-04-27: Red Hat released security advisories RHSA-2026:10707 and RHSA-2026:10708 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-5201 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-5201?** Check whether you run Gnome Gdk-Pixbuf2 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) exists in the gdk-pixbuf library's JPEG image loader. The flaw is caused by improper validation of color component counts when processing JPEG data. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious JPEG image that triggers the overflow during processing (e.g., during thumbnailing or viewing). Successful exploitation results in an application crash, leading to a denial of service (DoS) condition. Security updates have been released by Red Hat and other distributions to address this issue.

## Affected products

- GNOME gdk-pixbuf2 2.42.12, 2.42.6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0

## Timeline

- 2026-03-31: disclosed: Initial vulnerability publication
- 2026-04-27: patched: Red Hat released security advisories RHSA-2026:10707 and RHSA-2026:10708

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10707](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10707)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10708](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10708)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10741](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10741)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11325](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11325)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11326](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11326)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11327](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11327)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11328](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:11328)