Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
LibRaw is used to parse RAW camera images. This CVE is a buffer overflow in LibRaw v0.20.0 on Linux/Unix. If vulnerable software processes attacker-controlled image data with user interaction, the impact could include full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and the CVE description states privilege escalation.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority where LibRaw processes files from users, customers, email, uploads, or external media. The business risk is higher in automated image pipelines or privileged desktop/server tools. Patch through vendor channels and verify bundled dependencies.
Technical view
CVE-2021-32142 is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in LibRaw_buffer_datastream::gets(char*, int) in src/libraw/src/libraw_datastream.cpp. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, required user interaction, unchanged scope, and high CIA impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in Linux/Unix systems or applications using LibRaw v0.20.0 or unpatched downstream packages. Image conversion, media ingestion, photo workflows, forensics tools, and CMS pipelines deserve review. The source metadata does not provide complete CPEs or all affected downstream versions.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or other evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates local exploitation requiring user interaction. Public references include a GitHub issue, a fixing commit, and Debian and Fedora security advisories, but no source here proves exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Evidence is strongest for the named function, CWE-787 classification, CVSS vector, upstream commit, and distro advisories. Affected product metadata in the bundle is incomplete, so validation should include package managers, SBOMs, and source-level dependency checks rather than CPE matching alone.
Mitigation direction
- Update LibRaw or OS libraw packages using vendor security channels.
- Prioritize Debian and Fedora systems covered by the listed advisories.
- Avoid processing untrusted RAW/image files with vulnerable LibRaw builds.
- Check embedded or statically bundled LibRaw copies in applications.
- Follow LibRaw and distribution guidance for exact fixed versions.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed LibRaw/libraw packages across Linux and Unix assets.
- Identify applications that bundle or statically link LibRaw.
- Confirm package versions are newer than vulnerable v0.20.0 or vendor-fixed builds.
- Review workflows that process user-supplied RAW/image files.
- Regression test image ingestion after applying vendor updates.
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-787: 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-2021-32142 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
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/LibRaw/LibRaw/issues/400CVE reference
- https://github.com/LibRaw/LibRaw/commit/bc3aaf4223fdb70d52d470dae65c5a7923ea2a49CVE reference
- https://github.com/gtt1995CVE reference
- https://www.libraw.org/CVE reference
- FEDORA-2023-220878f1bfCVE reference · vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2023-be842ba7fbCVE reference · vendor-advisory
- [debian-lts-announce] 20230527 [SECURITY] [DLA 3433-1] libraw security updateCVE reference · mailing-list
- DSA-5412CVE reference · vendor-advisory
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.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.