Vulnerability · CVE-2026-44638
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel.
Published May 14, 2026 · catalog updated Jun 17, 2026 · libsixel is a SIXEL
Check if you run it
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-44638. EPSS is 0.13%. Act only if a listed version of libsixel is a SIXEL is installed.
Gaps on this record
- The stored product name is a package slug. The name on this page is taken from the title (libsixel is a SIXEL).
- No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- Severity
- Low2.5
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 0.13%
- Remediation
- Advisory link
- Affected products
- cpe saitoha/libsixel
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. From to 1.8.7-r1, a wrong NULL check after an allocation call in sixel_decode_raw and sixel_decode causes a NULL pointer dereference whenever the allocation fails. The check tests the address of the output parameter (always non-NULL) instead of the value the malloc returned. On allocation failure, the function continues and writes through a NULL pointer, crashing the process. This is a denial of service against any caller of these public APIs that hits a low-memory condition. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.8.7-r2.
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- cpe saitoha/libsixelversion unspecified
How to fix CVE-2026-44638
Recommended remediation
A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-44638. EPSS is 0.13%. Act only if a listed version of libsixel is a SIXEL is installed.
Which versions are affected?
Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference; CWE-690. EPSS 0.13%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
May 14, 2026 · NIST NVD
Detected
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. From to 1.8.7-r1, a wrong NULL check after an allocation call in sixel_decode_raw and sixel_decode causes a NULL pointer dereference whenever the allocation fails. The check tests the address of the output parameter (always non-NULL) instead of the value the malloc returned. On allocation failure, the function continues
Jun 17, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. From to 1.8.7-r1, a wrong NULL check after an allocation call in sixel_decode_raw and sixel_decode causes a NULL pointer dereference whenever the allocation fails. The check tests the address of the output parameter (always non-NULL) instead of the value the malloc returned. On allocation failure, the function continues
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-44638
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-44638
30-day exploitation probability 0.1%
first.org - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-44638
libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. From to 1.8.7-r1, a wrong NULL check after an allocation call in sixel_decode_raw and sixel_decode causes a NULL pointer dereference whenever the allocation fails. The check tests the address of the o
nvd.nist.gov
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.