GHSA-hxfw-jm98-v4mq is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) CWE-369 vulnerability in opencv-python. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for opencv-python — see the affected versions and patch details below.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
opencv-python🐍opencv-python-headless🐍opencv-contrib-python🐍opencv-contrib-python-headlessReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
An issue was discovered in OpenCV 4.1.0 (OpenCV-Python 4.1.0.25). There is a divide-by-zero error in cv::HOGDescriptor::getDescriptorSize in modules/objdetect/src/hog.cpp.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | opencv-python | all versions | 4.1.1.26pip install --upgrade 'opencv-python==4.1.1.26' |
| 🐍PyPI | opencv-python-headless | all versions | 4.1.1.26pip install --upgrade 'opencv-python-headless==4.1.1.26' |
| 🐍PyPI | opencv-contrib-python | all versions | 4.1.1.26pip install --upgrade 'opencv-contrib-python==4.1.1.26' |
| 🐍PyPI | opencv-contrib-python-headless | all versions | 4.1.1.26pip install --upgrade 'opencv-contrib-python-headless==4.1.1.26' |
Affected Products
debian linuxdebianopencvopencvleapopensuseResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for opencv-python, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update opencv-python to 4.1.1.26 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-hxfw-jm98-v4mq is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Avoid using the Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) Descriptor algorithm to detect objects in digital images. Alternatively, ensure HOGDescriptor objects are not created from external untrusted files.Source: Red Hat security advisory for GHSA-hxfw-jm98-v4mq (CC BY 4.0)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-hxfw-jm98-v4mq in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.