---
title: "CVE-2020-29385\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-29385?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2020-29385

Publication date 8 December 2020

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**5.5 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-29385?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

GNOME gdk-pixbuf (aka GdkPixbuf) before 2.42.2 allows a denial of service
(infinite loop) in lzw.c in the function write\_indexes. if c->self\_code
equals 10, self->code\_table[10].extends will assign the value 11 to c. The
next execution in the loop will assign self->code\_table[11].extends to c,
which will give the value of 10. This will make the loop run infinitely.
This bug can, for example, be triggered by calling this function with a GIF
image with LZW compression that is crafted in a special way.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-29385?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| gdk-pixbuf | 20.10 groovy | Fixed 2.40.0+dfsg-5ubuntu0.1 |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Fixed 2.40.0+dfsg-3ubuntu0.1 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-29385?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

per upstream bug, gdk-pixbuf < 2.39.2 is not vulnerable

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| gdk-pixbuf | * Upstream:   [bdd3acb](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gdk-pixbuf/-/commit/bdd3acbd48a575d418ba6bf1b32d7bda2fae1c81) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

5.5 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 5.5 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2020-29385)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-29385)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2020-29385)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-29385)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-4663-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4663-1)
+ GDK-PixBuf vulnerability
+ 8 December 2020

### Other references

* <https://mail.gnome.org/archives/distributor-list/2020-December/msg00000.html>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-29385>