CVE-2021-46822: The PPM reader in libjpeg-turbo through 2.0.90 mishandles use of tjLoadImage for loading a 16-bit binary PPM f

Q: How do I fix CVE-2021-46822?

libjpeg-turbo: upgrade to newer than 2.0.90. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2021-46822 being exploited?

CVE-2021-46822 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2021-46822 affect?

CVE-2021-46822 affects libjpeg-turbo. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.5). The PPM reader in libjpeg-turbo through 2.0.90 mishandles use of tjLoadImage for loading a 16-bit binary PPM file into a grayscale buffer and loading a 16-bit binary PGM file into an RGB buffer. This is related to a heap-based buffer overfl

Q: How urgent is CVE-2021-46822?

Priority 35/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Routine

MEDIUM 5.5UPGRADE

CVE-2021-46822 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.5) affecting libjpeg-turbo. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The PPM reader in libjpeg-turbo through 2.0.90 mishandles use of tjLoadImage for loading a 16-bit binary PPM file into a grayscale buffer and loading a 16-bit binary PGM file into an RGB buffer. This is related to a heap-based buffer overflow in the get_word_rgb_row function in rdppm.c.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	5.5 (Medium)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	1.1% (top 35%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-787
Published	2022-06-18
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: libjpeg-turbo

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2022-06-18 16:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 04:15 UTCUpdated Record last modified

libjpeg-turbo libjpeg-turbo UPGRADE

Affected: > 1.5.3 and <= 2.0.90

Fixed in: newer than 2.0.90

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy libjpeg-turbo || rpm -q libjpeg-turbo || libjpeg-turbo --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 2.0.90 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade libjpeg-turbo

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade libjpeg-turbo

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2021-46822?

libjpeg-turbo: upgrade to newer than 2.0.90. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2021-46822 being exploited?

CVE-2021-46822 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2021-46822 affect?

CVE-2021-46822 affects libjpeg-turbo. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.5). The PPM reader in libjpeg-turbo through 2.0.90 mishandles use of tjLoadImage for loading a 16-bit binary PPM file into a grayscale buffer and loading a 16-bit binary PGM file into an RGB buffer. This is related to a heap-based buffer overfl

How urgent is CVE-2021-46822?

Priority 35/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Related CVEs

CVE-2023-2804 MEDIUM 6.5 DOWNGRADE A heap-based buffer overflow issue was discovered in libjpeg-turbo in h2v2_merged_upsample_internal() function
CVE-2021-29390 HIGH 7.1 DOWNGRADE MITIGATE libjpeg-turbo version 2.0.90 has a heap-based buffer over-read (2 bytes) in decompress_smooth_data in jdcoefct
CVE-2020-35538 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE A crafted input file could cause a null pointer dereference in jcopy_sample_rows() when processed by libjpeg-t

References

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