CVE-2026-35444: SDL_image is a library to load images of various formats as SDL surfaces

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-35444?

sdl image: upgrade to 2026-04-02. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-35444 being exploited?

CVE-2026-35444 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-2026-35444 affect?

CVE-2026-35444 affects sdl image. Severity is high (CVSS 7.1). SDL_image is a library to load images of various formats as SDL surfaces. In do_layer_surface() in src/IMG_xcf.c, pixel index values from decoded XCF tile data are used directly as colormap indices without validating them against the colorm

Routine

HIGH 7.1UPGRADE

CVE-2026-35444 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.1) affecting sdl image. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

SDL_image is a library to load images of various formats as SDL surfaces. In do_layer_surface() in src/IMG_xcf.c, pixel index values from decoded XCF tile data are used directly as colormap indices without validating them against the colormap size (cm_num). A crafted .xcf file with a small colormap and out-of-range pixel indices causes heap out-of-bounds reads of up to 762 bytes past the colormap allocation. Both IMAGE_INDEXED code paths are affe

Why this priority

High severity

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.1 (High)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	0.3% (top 82%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-125
Published	2026-04-06
Last modified	2026-07-24

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: libsdl

Last updated 2026-07-24 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-04-06 22:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-07-24 21:10 UTCUpdated Record last modified

libsdl sdl image UPGRADE

Affected: < 2026-04-02

Fixed in: 2026-04-02

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy sdl-image || rpm -q sdl-image || sdl-image --version

2. UPGRADE to 2026-04-02 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade sdl-image

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade sdl-image

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-2026-35444?

sdl image: upgrade to 2026-04-02. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-35444 being exploited?

CVE-2026-35444 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-2026-35444 affect?

CVE-2026-35444 affects sdl image. Severity is high (CVSS 7.1). SDL_image is a library to load images of various formats as SDL surfaces. In do_layer_surface() in src/IMG_xcf.c, pixel index values from decoded XCF tile data are used directly as colormap indices without validating them against the colorm

How urgent is CVE-2026-35444?

Priority 29/100. High severity

References

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