ExifReader: DoS via Crafted HEIC/AVIF iloc Box - Memory Exhaustion (CVE-2026-85715) | HOL Guard CVE

High · CVSS 7.5CVE-2026-85715GHSA-PJ96-35FP-CFCC

ExifReader: DoS via Crafted HEIC/AVIF iloc Box - Memory Exhaustion

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-85715 records a High severity (CVSS 7.5) vulnerability in ExifReader: DoS via Crafted HEIC/AVIF iloc Box - Memory Exhaustion. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps mattiasw/ExifReader (generic), exifreader (npm), 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 17, 2026Updated Sep 17, 2026Source checked Sep 17, 2026First seen by HOL Sep 17, 2026Material review Sep 17, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: High · CVSS 7.5
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 3 mapped packages or products
Fix availability: Available

Why this deserves its current priority

CVSS is 7.5. 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), exifreader (npm). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
mattiasw/ExifReadergeneric	< 4.41.1	Not reported
exifreadernpm	<=4.41.0	4.41.1
exifreadernpm	>=0 <4.41.1	4.41.1

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for mattiasw/ExifReader, exifreader, exifreader.
Review the reported fix. Update exifreader to 4.41.1; exifreader to 4.41.1 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.

Evidence timeline and material changes

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

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

ExifReader is a JavaScript Exif information parser. Prior to 4.41.1, ExifReader parses attacker-controlled HEIC or AVIF ISO-BMFF files in getItems() within src/image-header-iso-bmff-iloc.js and trusts iloc itemCount and extentCount values while allocating an extent object for every nested-loop iteration. When offsetSize, lengthSize, baseOffsetSize, and indexSize are zero, the extent fields consume no input bytes and the buffer offset does not advance, but the parser can still allocate up to itemCount multiplied by extentCount objects without an allocation budget. A small malicious iloc box can therefore cause hundreds of megabytes of heap growth or exhaust system memory, terminating a Node.js process and denying service to web, desktop, or mobile applications that parse untrusted images. The zero field widths are valid ISO-BMFF values indicating absent fields, so the vulnerable parser must bound work rather than relying on offset advancement. The issue is fixed in version 4.41.1.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.