Summary
MaterialX Null Pointer Dereference in MaterialXCore Shader Generation due to Unchecked implGraphOutput
When parsing shader nodes in a MTLX file, the MaterialXCore code accesses a potentially null pointer, which can lead to crashes with maliciously crafted files.
Details
In source/MaterialXCore/Material.cpp, the following code extracts the output nodes for a given implementation graph:
InterfaceElementPtr impl = materialNodeDef->getImplementation();
if (impl && impl->isA<NodeGraph>())
{
NodeGraphPtr implGraph = impl->asA<NodeGraph>();
for (OutputPtr defOutput : materialNodeDef->getOutputs())
{
if (defOutput->getType() == MATERIAL_TYPE_STRING)
{
OutputPtr implGraphOutput = implGraph->getOutput(defOutput->getName());
for (GraphIterator it = implGraphOutput->traverseGraph().begin(); it != GraphIterator::end(); ++it)
{
ElementPtr upstreamElem = it.getUpstreamElement();
if (!upstreamElem)
{
it.setPruneSubgraph(true);
continue;
}
NodePtr upstreamNode = upstreamElem->asA<Node>();
if (upstreamNode && upstream
However, when defining the implGraphOutput variable by getting the output node, the code doesn't check whether its value is null before accessing its iterator traverseGraph(). This leads to a potential null pointer dereference.
PoC
Please download nullptr_implgraph.mtlx from the following link:
https://github.com/ShielderSec/poc/tree/main/CVE-2025-53011
build/bin/MaterialXView --material nullptr_implgraph.mtlx
Impact
An attacker could intentionally crash a target program that uses MaterialX by sending a malicious MTLX file.
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-53011? CVE-2025-53011 is a low-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability in MaterialX (pip), affecting versions = 1.39.2. It is fixed in 1.39.3. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
- Which versions of MaterialX are affected by CVE-2025-53011? MaterialX (pip) versions = 1.39.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-53011? Yes. CVE-2025-53011 is fixed in 1.39.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-53011 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-53011 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-53011 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-53011? Upgrade
MaterialXto 1.39.3 or later.