CVE-2020-10177: Out-of-bounds reads in Pillow
Summary
CVE-2020-10177: Out-of-bounds reads in Pillow. Affects pillow versions < 7.1.0. Fixed in 7.1.0. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
The same CVE-2020-10177 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Pillow is a popular Python imaging library that provides support for opening, manipulating, and saving many different image file formats. It is widely used in various applications for image processing and manipulation. However, versions of Pillow before 6.2.3 and 7.x before 7.0.1 are susceptible to multiple out-of-bounds reads in the libImaging/FliDecode.c module.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in Pillow allows for out-of-bounds reads, which can lead to potential security issues. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to read sensitive information from the memory or cause a denial-of-service condition. The issue originates from the libImaging/FliDecode.c module, where improper bounds checking allows for accessing data outside the intended range. This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 5.5, indicating a moderate severity level.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 13.0.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "pillow==13.0.0"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
7.1.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "pillow==7.1.0"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately feasible, a possible workaround is to avoid using the affected functionality or module that triggers the vulnerability. By disabling or removing the code that utilizes the libImaging/FliDecode.c module, the risk of exploitation can be reduced. However, this workaround may not be applicable in all scenarios and should be carefully evaluated based on the specific use case.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the vulnerability in Pillow versions before 6.2.3 and 7.x before 7.0.1 allows for out-of-bounds reads in the libImaging/FliDecode.c module. This can potentially lead to security issues such as unauthorized access to sensitive information or denial-of-service. It is crucial to upgrade to the latest version of Pillow (7.1.0 or later) to mitigate this vulnerability. If immediate upgrading is not possible, consider applying the suggested workaround and carefully evaluate its applicability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for pillow →
FAQ
Pillow is a Python imaging library that provides support for opening, manipulating, and saving various image file formats. It is widely used in applications for image processing and manipulation.
The vulnerability allows for out-of-bounds reads, which can lead to potential security issues. An attacker could exploit this to read sensitive information or cause a denial-of-service condition.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade Pillow to version 7.1.0 or later. This can be done by updating the package using the package manager or manually installing the latest version from the PyPI repository.
If upgrading immediately is not feasible, a possible workaround is to avoid using the affected functionality or module that triggers the vulnerability. However, this workaround may not be applicable in all scenarios and should be carefully evaluated based on the specific use case.
This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 5.5, indicating a moderate severity level.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for pillow.
