Description
Ollama 0.11.5-rc0 through current version 0.13.5 contain a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the multi-modal model image processing functionality. When processing base64-encoded image data via the /api/chat endpoint, the application fails to validate that the decoded data represents valid media before passing it to the mtmd_helper_bitmap_init_from_buf function. This function can return NULL for malformed input, but the code does not check this return value before dereferencing the pointer in subsequent operations. A remote attacker can exploit this by sending specially crafted base64 image data that decodes to invalid media, causing a segmentation fault and crashing the runner process. This results in a denial of service condition where the model becomes unavailable to all users until the service is restarted.
Affected products
ollama: ollama
References7
- huntr.com/bounties/172df98b-07cd-41ea-a628-366f8cd525c0 ExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
- github.com/ollama/ollama Product
- ollama.com/ Product
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ollama-multi-modal-image-processin… Third Party Advisory
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-15514
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2428828
- security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-15514…
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
7.5
HIGH
Score source: NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 4.0
-
8.7
HIGH
Score source: CNA
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - EPSS — exploit probability
- 1% percentile: 56 · as of 11 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-395
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