Facebook is warning that a FreeType vulnerability in all versions up to 2.13 can lead to arbitrary code execution, with reports that the flaw has been exploited in attacks. FreeType is a popular open-source font rendering library used to display text and programmatically add text to images. It provides functionality to load, rasterize, and render fonts in various formats, such as TrueType (TTF), OpenType (OTF), and others. The library is installed in millions of systems and services, including Linux, Android, game engines, GUI frameworks, and online platforms. The vulnerability, tracked under CVE-2025-27363 and given a CVSS v3 severity score of 8.1 ("high"), was fixed in FreeType version 2.13.0 on February 9th, 2023. Facebook disclosed the flaw yesterday, warning that the vulnerability is exploitable in all versions of FreeType up to version 2.13 and that there are reports of it actively being exploited in attacks. "An out of bounds write exists in FreeType versions 2.13.0 and below when attempting to parse font subglyph structures related to TrueType GX and variable font files," reads the bulletin. "The vulnerable code assigns a signed short value to an unsigned long and then adds a static value causing it to wrap around and allocate too small of a heap buffer." "The code then writes up to 6 signed long integers out of bounds relative to this buffer. This may result in arbitrary code execution." Facebook may rely on FreeType in some capacity, but it is unclear if the attack...
Facebook discloses FreeType 2 flaw exploited in attacks
BleepingComputer
·Bill Toulas
·Published Mar 12, 2025
·Updated
Affected Software
4 affected components
FreeType FreeType=2.13.0
FreeType FreeType
The FreeType Project FreeType=2.13
The FreeType Project FreeType
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the main topic of this article?
The article discusses a vulnerability in the FreeType 2 font rendering library that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
2
What security implications are discussed in the article?
The article highlights that the FreeType vulnerability has been actively exploited in attacks, posing significant security risks.
3
What versions of FreeType are affected by the vulnerability?
All versions of FreeType up to and including 2.13 are affected by this vulnerability.
4
How does the FreeType vulnerability affect systems?
The vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to system compromise.
5
Who disclosed the FreeType vulnerability and why is it important?
Facebook disclosed the vulnerability to raise awareness and prompt users to update their FreeType libraries to mitigate the risks.