Summary
Exiv2 has quadratic performance in ICC profile parsing in JpegBase::readMetadata
References
Issue: https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/issues/3333
Fixes: https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/pull/3335 (main branch), https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/pull/3345 (0.28.x branch)
For more information
Please see our security policy for information about Exiv2 security.
Impact
A denial-of-service was found in Exiv2 version v0.28.5: a quadratic algorithm in the ICC profile parsing code in jpegBase::readMetadata() can cause Exiv2 to run for a long time. Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. The denial-of-service is triggered when Exiv2 is used to read the metadata of a crafted jpg image file.
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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The bug is fixed in version v0.28.6.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-55304? CVE-2025-55304 is a low-severity security vulnerability in Exiv2 (pip), affecting versions <= 0.17.3. No fixed version is listed yet.
- Which versions of Exiv2 are affected by CVE-2025-55304? Exiv2 (pip) versions <= 0.17.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-55304? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-55304 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-55304 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-55304 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-2025-55304 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.