Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- EPSS is 1.64% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2021
CVE-2020-35653High confidence
In Pillow before 8.1.0, PcxDecode has a buffer over-read when decoding a crafted PCX file because the user-supplied stride value is trusted for buffer calculations
Unknown · Unknown
7.1HighCVSS 3.1
Within 7 days
Patch availableHigh technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityHigh→Operational priority:High, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Unknown Unknown and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Distribution package intelligence
7 package statesRelease-specific package status
Alpine, Debian findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.
Repository candidate not checked
A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.
| Distribution release | Source package | Vendor state | Fixed version | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.23v3.23 · community | py3-pillow | Vendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected. | 8.1.0-r0 | Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 22 Oct 2026 |
| Alpine v3.22v3.22 · community | py3-pillow | Vendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected. | 8.1.0-r0 | Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 22 Oct 2026 |
| Alpine v3.21v3.21 · community | py3-pillow | Vendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected. | 8.1.0-r0 | Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 22 Oct 2026 |
| Debian trixietrixie · source | pillow | Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release. | 8.1.0-1 | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 24 Oct 2026 |
| Debian bookwormbookworm · source | pillow | Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release. | 8.1.0-1 | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 24 Oct 2026 |
| Debian forkyforky · source | pillow | Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release. | 8.1.0-1 | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 24 Oct 2026 |
| Debian sidsid · source | pillow | Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release. | 8.1.0-1 | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 24 Oct 2026 |
Open-source package ranges1 source-attributed range
These OSV and GitHub advisory ranges apply only to the named package and ecosystem. A listed fixed version is not a universal product patch or proof that an update is installed.
| Ecosystem and package | Affected range | First fixed version | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| pippillow | >= 0, < 8.1.0 | 8.1.0 | GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 8 Oct 2024 |
Direct vendor intelligence
1 currentAuthoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
CVE-2020-35653 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 15 · interimSUSE Product Security TeamCVE-2020-35653
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
- python-Pillow as component of HPE Helion OpenStack 8
- python-Pillow as component of SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8
- python-Pillow as component of SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9
- python-Pillow as component of SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8
- python-Pillow as component of SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9
- Summary
- In Pillow before 8.1.0, PcxDecode has a buffer over-read when decoding a crafted PCX file because the user-supplied stride value is trusted for buffer calculations.
- Remediation
- To install this SUSE Security Update use the SUSE recommended installation methods like YaST online_update or "zypper patch".
High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Patch available01
What, why and how
In Pillow before 8.1.0, PcxDecode has a buffer over-read when decoding a crafted PCX file because the user-supplied stride value is trusted for buffer calculations.
What
In Pillow before 8.1.0, PcxDecode has a buffer over-read when decoding a crafted PCX file because the user-supplied stride value is trusted for buffer calculations.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication after a user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
In Pillow before 8.1.0, PcxDecode has a buffer over-read when decoding a crafted PCX file because the user-supplied stride value is trusted for buffer calculations.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication after a user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Out-of-bounds Read → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- Required interaction required
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-125 ↗
CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read. The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:HCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UIRequiredUser interaction: Another user must perform an action for exploitation to succeed.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CLowConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.INoneIntegrity impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Patch available
- Affected
- Action
- To install this SUSE Security Update use the SUSE recommended installation methods like YaST online_update or "zypper patch".
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 12 Jan 2021 · Last source change 4 Aug 2024, 17:09 UTC · CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds Read
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-0180
Product sourceVendor CSAF · SUSE Product Security Team
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · SUSE Product Security Team
CWE sourceNIST NVD
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Missing structured fields: affected product. Missing data is not evidence of low risk; review the primary advisory.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
- Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Mitigation available.SUSE Product Security Team ↗
- Before
- Awaiting fix
- After
- Mitigation available
CVE published
Remediation guidance recorded
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.