# libde265 vulnerability causes denial of service in Ubuntu

> **Key takeaway:** A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in libde265 allows attackers to crash applications via crafted H.265 bitstreams.

**Published:** 2026-10-08T17:11:46+00:00 
**Source:** Ubuntu Security & Release Notices 
**Category:** distro-news 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/libde265-vulnerability-causes-denial-of-service-in-ubuntu.html 

## Summary
A security vulnerability has been identified in libde265, where improper validation of certain H.265 bitstreams leads to a NULL pointer dereference. This flaw can be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial of service by crashing the library. Ubuntu has released security updates to address this issue.

## Technical details of the libde265 flaw
- The vulnerability is a **NULL pointer dereference**.
- It is triggered by **improper validation** of crafted H.265 bitstreams.
- Successful exploitation results in a **denial of service (DoS)** via application crashes.