An out of bounds write exists in FreeType versions 2.13.0 and below (newer versions of FreeType are not vulnerable) when attempting to parse
Affects FreeType 2.13.0 and earlier when parsing TrueType GX and variable font subglyph structures. No vendor rating or fixed release is given in the facts.
- Published
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Listed in CISA KEV
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Actively exploited
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
FreeType, a widely used open-source font rendering library, is affected in versions 2.13.0 and earlier. A specially crafted TrueType GX or variable font file can trigger a memory write outside an allocated buffer, which may allow an attacker to run arbitrary code on the affected system.
Summarized by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5. Verify details against the original sources.
Read the original description
An out of bounds write exists in FreeType versions 2.13.0 and below (newer versions of FreeType are not vulnerable) when attempting to parse font subglyph structures related to TrueType GX and variable font files. The vulnerable code assigns a signed short value to an unsigned long and then adds a static value causing it to wrap around and allocate too small of a heap buffer. The code then writes up to 6 signed long integers out of bounds relative to this buffer. This may result in arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability may have been exploited in the wild.
Timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
CISA has evidence of exploitation in the wild
- CISA remediation deadline
Due date for US federal agencies to patch
- Record last updated
- EPSS reached 10%
FIRST estimates at least a 10% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Affected versions
- FreeType FreeType
From 0.0.0 · through 2.13.0
References 1
facebook.com
Questions about CVE-2025-27363
What does this mean?
FreeType writes past the bounds of a heap buffer while parsing font subglyph structures used in TrueType GX and variable font files. The advisory says this may result in arbitrary code execution.Source: facebook.com
Am I affected, and how do I check?
FreeType versions 2.13.0 and below are affected, and newer versions are not. To check, compare the FreeType version in use against 2.13.0.Source: facebook.com
What should I do about it?
Move to a FreeType release newer than 2.13.0, which the advisory says is not vulnerable. The facts do not name a specific fixed release.Source: facebook.com
Is it being exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-05-06, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cisa.gov, cve.now feed data
What if there's no patch?
The facts do not give a workaround. The conditions point to TrueType GX and variable font parsing as the trigger, so limiting that feature in affected builds is the only limiting step the facts support.Source: facebook.com