ExifReader HEIC/AVIF ISO-BMFF parser throws uncaught RangeError on truncated boxes (CVE-2026-53496) | HOL Guard CVE

Medium severityCVE-2026-53496GHSA-G77H-45RF-HCX4

ExifReader HEIC/AVIF ISO-BMFF parser throws uncaught RangeError on truncated boxes

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-53496 records a Medium severity vulnerability in ExifReader HEIC/AVIF ISO-BMFF parser throws uncaught RangeError on truncated boxes. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps mattiasw/ExifReader (generic), exifreader (npm). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Analysis pending evidence review

HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.

Published Sep 14, 2026Updated Sep 14, 2026Source checked Sep 17, 2026First seen by HOL Jul 17, 2026Material review Sep 14, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: Medium
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 2 mapped packages or products
Fix availability: Available

Why this deserves its current priority

A CVSS score is not reported in the current record. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.

Analysis status

Analysis pending evidence review

Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.

Affected scope and exposure questions

The current feed maps mattiasw/ExifReader (generic), exifreader (npm). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
mattiasw/ExifReadergeneric	< 4.40.1	Not reported
exifreadernpm	<=4.40.0	4.40.1

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for mattiasw/ExifReader, exifreader.
Review the reported fix. Update exifreader to 4.40.1 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.

Evidence timeline and material changes

Published upstream
Sep 14, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
Source modified
Sep 14, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
First seen by HOL
Jul 17, 2026

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

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.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.