CVE-2026-34379: OpenEXR has a misaligned write in LossyDctDecoder_execute leading to undefined behavior (DWA/DWAB decompression)

Published Apr 6, 2026
·
Updated

OpenEXR provides the specification and reference implementation of the EXR file format, an image storage format for the motion picture industry. From 3.2.0 to before 3.2.7, 3.3.9, and 3.4.9, a misaligned memory write vulnerability exists in LossyDctDecoderexecute() in src/lib/OpenEXRCore/internaldwadecoder.h:749. When decoding a DWA or DWAB-compressed EXR file containing a FLOAT-type channel, the decoder performs an in-place HALF→FLOAT conversion by casting an unaligned uint8t row pointer to float and writing through it. Because the row buffer may not be 4-byte aligned, this constitutes undefined behavior under the C standard and crashes immediately on architectures that enforce alignment (ARM, RISC-V, etc.). On x86 it is silently tolerated at runtime but remains exploitable via compiler optimizations that assume aligned access. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.2.7, 3.3.9, and 3.4.9.

Affected Software

3 affected components
OpenEXR OpenEXR>=3.2.0<3.2.7
OpenEXR OpenEXR>=3.3.0<3.3.9
OpenEXR OpenEXR>=3.4.0<3.4.9

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenEXR to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.2.7
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenEXR to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.3.9
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenEXR to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.4.9

Event History

Apr 6, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:21 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:21 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·04:02 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:16 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-34379?

CVE-2026-34379 is classified as having a high severity due to the potential for undefined behavior in the LossyDctDecoder_execute.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-34379?

To fix CVE-2026-34379, update OpenEXR to version 3.2.7, 3.3.9, or later versions.

3

What vulnerability does CVE-2026-34379 address?

CVE-2026-34379 addresses a misaligned write issue in the LossyDctDecoder_execute function.

4

Which versions of OpenEXR are affected by CVE-2026-34379?

OpenEXR versions from 3.2.0 to before 3.2.7, 3.3.0 to before 3.3.9, and 3.4.0 to before 3.4.9 are affected by CVE-2026-34379.

5

What can happen if CVE-2026-34379 is exploited?

Exploitation of CVE-2026-34379 could lead to undefined behavior, which may result in application crashes or unpredictable results.

Contact

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