CVE-2025-48798 in GIMP
Summary
by MITRE • 05/27/2025
A flaw was found in GIMP when processing XCF image files. If a user opens one of these image files that has been specially crafted by an attacker, GIMP can be tricked into making serious memory errors, potentially leading to crashes and causing use-after-free issues.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-48798 represents a critical memory safety issue within the GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP when processing XCF (eXperimental Computing Facility) image files. This flaw manifests as a use-after-free condition that occurs during the parsing of specially crafted XCF files, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who could exploit this weakness to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within GIMP's image file processing pipeline, particularly when handling complex XCF file structures that contain malformed or maliciously constructed data elements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of XCF file formats to trigger memory corruption during the image loading process. When GIMP attempts to parse an attacker-controlled XCF file, the application fails to properly validate memory allocations and deallocations, resulting in scenarios where freed memory regions are accessed again by subsequent operations. This use-after-free condition creates opportunities for arbitrary code execution or denial of service attacks, as the application's memory state becomes unpredictable and potentially exploitable. The flaw is particularly concerning because XCF files are commonly used within the GIMP ecosystem and are often shared between users, making this attack vector highly accessible to threat actors who could distribute malicious files through various channels including email attachments, file sharing platforms, or compromised websites.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who regularly work with image files or collaborate with others in environments where file sharing occurs. The potential for remote code execution through crafted XCF files means that simply opening a malicious file could result in complete system compromise, especially when GIMP is used in professional environments where users may not be security-aware or may inadvertently open malicious files. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of GIMP across different operating systems and platforms, creating a broad attack surface that extends beyond typical desktop environments to include server environments where GIMP might be used for automated image processing tasks.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-416 use-after-free weakness category, which is classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework and represents one of the most dangerous memory safety issues in software development. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution tactic, as it specifically targets client-side applications through file-based attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of GIMP, implementing file validation procedures, and establishing user awareness programs to prevent accidental opening of suspicious image files. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting policies should be considered to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits of image processing workflows should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other software components.