Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Matplotlib had a buffer overflow before upstream commit ba4016014cb4fb4927e36ce8ea429fed47dcb787. In business terms, risk depends on whether older matplotlib is used where attacker-controlled input reaches plotting code. The public bundle does not show active exploitation or a named fixed release.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate remediation item. Prioritize systems that expose plotting or rendering workflows to untrusted users, then standardize matplotlib updates through normal dependency management.
Technical view
CVE-2013-1424 is a CWE-120 buffer overflow in matplotlib before commit ba4016014cb4fb4927e36ce8ea429fed47dcb787. CVSS 3.1 is 5.6: network attack vector, high complexity, no privileges or user interaction, unchanged scope, and low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in Python environments using matplotlib builds predating the referenced upstream commit. Practical internet exposure requires an application path where remote or untrusted input is processed by vulnerable matplotlib code. No CPEs or exact package versions are provided in the bundle.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks CISA KEV as false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector suggests remote reachability is possible, but high attack complexity lowers likelihood. The exact trigger conditions are not described in the supplied sources.
Researcher notes
The evidence is commit-level rather than version-level. Researchers should map local packages to the upstream commit or vendor backport and avoid assuming broader affected products. The bundle does not provide exploit details, fixed release names, or active exploitation evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory matplotlib versions across production, CI, notebooks, and packaged applications.
- Upgrade to a matplotlib build containing commit ba4016014cb4fb4927e36ce8ea429fed47dcb787.
- Use vendor or distribution guidance to identify fixed package versions.
- Limit untrusted input reaching matplotlib until affected systems are upgraded.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed matplotlib builds include the referenced upstream commit or a vendor backport.
- Check SBOMs, lockfiles, containers, and virtual environments for older matplotlib copies.
- Review application paths where remote input can influence plotting or rendering.
- Document any vendor-fixed versions because the CVE bundle does not list them.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-120: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2013-1424 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.6 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L2.23.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.6MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://bugs.debian.org/775691CVE reference
- https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/commit/ba4016014cb4fb4927e36ce8ea429fed47dcb787CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.