CVE catalog

CVE-2021-32617

exiv2: CVE-2021-32617

Severity: Medium · CVSS 6.2CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Published: May 17, 2021, 6:15:00 PM UTC
Source: [NVD] · [CVE record]
EPSS: 1.17% · Oct 25, 2026

Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. An inefficient algorithm (quadratic complexity) was found in Exiv2 versions v0.27.3 and earlier. The inefficient algorithm is triggered when Exiv2 is used to write metadata into a crafted image file. An attacker could potentially exploit the vulnerability to cause a denial of service, if they can trick the victim into running Exiv2 on a crafted image file. The bug is fixed in version v0.27.4. Note that this bug is only triggered when _writing_ the metadata, which is a less frequently used Exiv2 operation than _reading_ the metadata. For example, to trigger the bug in the Exiv2 command-line application, you need to add an extra command-line argument such as `rm`.

Vulnerable and fixed packages

Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.

Distribution	Package	Release	Version	Status
Debian	exiv2	sid	`0.28.9+dfsg-1`	fixed
Debian	exiv2	forky	`0.28.9+dfsg-1`	fixed
Debian	exiv2	trixie	`0.28.5+dfsg-1`	fixed
Debian	exiv2	bookworm	`0.27.6-1`	fixed
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-1ubuntu1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.2`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.3`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.4`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.5`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.6`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.7+esm1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.7+esm2`	fixed
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.1`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.2`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.3`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.4`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.5`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.7`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.9`	fixed
Ubuntu	exiv2	20.04	`0.25-4ubuntu2`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	20.04	`0.25-4ubuntu3`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	20.04	`0.27.2-8ubuntu2`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	20.04	`0.27.2-8ubuntu2.2`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	exiv2	20.04	`0.27.2-8ubuntu2.4`	fixed

Fixed-version evidence

Distribution	Package	Type	Release	Fixed version	Urgency	Origin	Bugs
Debian	exiv2	source	sid	`0.27.5-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[988731]
Debian	exiv2	source	forky	`0.27.5-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[988731]
Debian	exiv2	source	trixie	`0.27.5-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[988731]
Debian	exiv2	source	bookworm	`0.27.5-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[988731]
Ubuntu	exiv2	deb	pro	`0.25-2.1ubuntu16.04.7+esm2`	Not reported	UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32617	Not reported
Ubuntu	exiv2	deb	18.04	`0.25-3.1ubuntu0.18.04.9`	Not reported	UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32617	Not reported
Ubuntu	exiv2	deb	20.04	`0.27.2-8ubuntu2.4`	Not reported	UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32617	Not reported

[Debian bug #988731]

OpenFactory catalog packages

[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]

[exiv2]Fixed
Details (2)
- 0.27.6-1 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
- 0.27.6-1 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
[libexiv2-27]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.27.6-1 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
- 0.27.6-1 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
[libexiv2-dev]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.27.6-1 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
- 0.27.6-1 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
[libexiv2-doc]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.27.6-1 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12
- 0.27.6-1 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · bookworm; dsa · exiv2 · debian · 12

[Debian 13 (Trixie)]

[exiv2]Fixed
Details (2)
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
[libexiv2-28]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
[libexiv2-data]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
[libexiv2-dev]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
[libexiv2-doc]Fixed
Source package: [exiv2]
Details (2)
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13
- 0.28.5+dfsg-1 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.27.5-1
  dsa · exiv2 · debian · 13

Observed: Oct 23, 2026, 5:57:34 PM UTC

References

[CERT-Bund public advisories] · [Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [Red Hat security advisories and VEX] · [SUSE security advisories and VEX]