CVE-2025-53010 Overview
CVE-2025-53010 is a null pointer dereference vulnerability [CWE-476] in MaterialX, an open standard for exchanging rich material and look-development content across applications and renderers. In version 1.39.2, the MaterialXCore code accesses a potentially null pointer when parsing shader nodes in a MaterialX (.mtlx) file. A maliciously crafted MTLX file can crash any program that consumes MaterialX input, including pipelines that use OpenEXR. The Academy Software Foundation fixed the issue in version 1.39.3.
Critical Impact
A crafted MTLX file processed by an application linked against MaterialX 1.39.2 triggers a null pointer dereference, causing the target process to crash and denying service to users of rendering and content pipelines.
Affected Products
- Academy Software Foundation MaterialX 1.39.2
- Applications embedding the MaterialXCore library at the affected version
- Rendering and DCC pipelines consuming MTLX files alongside OpenEXR
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-01 - CVE-2025-53010 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2025-08-20 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-53010
Vulnerability Analysis
The defect lives in source/MaterialXCore/Material.cpp inside the getShaderNodes routine. When the parser encounters an input with an output string, it calls nodeGraph->getOutput(input->getOutputString()) and pushes the result directly into an OutputPtr vector. If the referenced output does not exist on the node graph, getOutput returns a null pointer. Downstream code that dereferences the returned pointer then crashes the host process.
An attacker crafts a .mtlx file that references a non-existent output name on a node graph. When a DCC tool, renderer, or asset pipeline loads the file, MaterialXCore walks the document, hits the missing reference, and dereferences null. The result is an unhandled access violation that terminates the host application.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing validation of the return value from NodeGraph::getOutput. The MaterialXCore code assumed the lookup would always succeed for well-formed documents and did not enforce the contract at runtime. Any input that fails to resolve an output name reaches downstream consumers as a null OutputPtr, satisfying the conditions for a null pointer dereference [CWE-476].
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires the victim to load an attacker-supplied MTLX file in a process linked against MaterialX 1.39.2. The attack vector is local: the malicious document must reach a workstation, render node, or asset ingestion service that parses MTLX. The impact is limited to availability — the affected process crashes and any in-flight work is lost.
// Security patch in source/MaterialXCore/Material.cpp
// Add null check in getShaderNodes (#2228)
vector<OutputPtr> outputs;
if (input->hasOutputString())
{
- outputs.push_back(nodeGraph->getOutput(input->getOutputString()));
+ OutputPtr connectedOutput = nodeGraph->getOutput(input->getOutputString());
+ if (connectedOutput)
+ {
+ outputs.push_back(connectedOutput);
+ }
}
else
{
Source: MaterialX commit e13344b
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53010
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or segmentation faults in DCC tools, renderers, or asset pipelines immediately after loading an MTLX file
- Crash dumps with faulting addresses near MaterialXCore symbols, particularly getShaderNodes in Material.cpp
- MTLX documents that reference output names not present on the corresponding node graph
Detection Strategies
- Inventory all software that links against libMaterialX and identify hosts running version 1.39.2 or earlier
- Scan ingestion paths for MTLX files originating from untrusted sources and validate their schema before passing them to MaterialX
- Alert on repeated process termination events for known MaterialX consumers such as renderers and modeling applications
Monitoring Recommendations
- Capture and centralize application crash telemetry from artist workstations and render farm nodes
- Track file provenance for MTLX assets entering shared storage, build pipelines, and review tools
- Review software bills of materials for third-party tools that bundle MaterialX 1.39.2
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53010
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade MaterialX to version 1.39.3 or later wherever the library is deployed
- Identify and update applications that statically link or bundle MaterialXCore 1.39.2
- Restrict ingestion of MTLX files to trusted sources until patched builds are in place
Patch Information
The Academy Software Foundation addressed the defect in MaterialX 1.39.3 via commit e13344ba13326869d7820b444705f24d56fab73d, which adds a null check on the result of NodeGraph::getOutput before pushing it into the output vector. See the MaterialX security advisory GHSA-3jhf-gxhr-q4cx for the full advisory.
Workarounds
- Block or quarantine MTLX files received from external or untrusted parties until upgrades complete
- Run MaterialX consumers under process supervisors that automatically restart on crash to preserve availability
- Validate MTLX documents against expected schemas and reject files referencing unknown output names
# Verify the installed MaterialX version and upgrade via pip
python -c "import MaterialX as mx; print(mx.__version__)"
pip install --upgrade "MaterialX>=1.39.3"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
