CVE Tools

CVE-2026-33018

libsixel: Use-After-Free in load_gif()

Published: Apr 14, 2026Updated: Apr 23, 2026 Sources: CVE List NVDCWE-416

Description

libsixel is a SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation derived from kmiya's sixel. Versions 1.8.7 and prior contain a Use-After-Free vulnerability via the load_gif() function in fromgif.c, where a single sixel_frame_t object is reused across all frames of an animated GIF and gif_init_frame() unconditionally frees and reallocates frame->pixels between frames without consulting the object's reference count. Because the public API explicitly provides sixel_frame_ref() to retain a frame and sixel_frame_get_pixels() to access the raw pixel buffer, a callback following this documented usage pattern will hold a dangling pointer after the second frame is decoded, resulting in a heap use-after-free confirmed by ASAN. Any application using sixel_helper_load_image_file() with a multi-frame callback to process user-supplied animated GIFs is affected, with a reliable crash as the minimum impact and potential for code execution. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.7-r1.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:LAC:HPR:NUI:RS:UC:HI:HA:H
Exploitability
AV:LAttack Vector
Local
AC:HAttack Complexity
High
PR:NPrivileges Required
None
UI:RUser Interaction
Required
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:HIntegrity
High
A:HAvailability
High

Weaknesses

Affected Products

saitohaoss-projectOSS Librariesaka libsixel

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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Exploitability

Official Patch Available

MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Initial Access
Privilege Escalation
View detailed technique mapping

References

Timeline

Published
Apr 14, 2026
Last Updated
Apr 23, 2026

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