CVE-2025-53014 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 07/14/2025
ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Versions prior to 7.1.2-0 and 6.9.13-26 have a heap buffer overflow in the `InterpretImageFilename` function. The issue stems from an off-by-one error that causes out-of-bounds memory access when processing format strings containing consecutive percent signs (`%%`). Versions 7.1.2-0 and 6.9.13-26 fix the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-53014 affects ImageMagick, a widely-used open-source software suite for digital image editing and manipulation that processes numerous image formats across various operating systems and applications. This heap buffer overflow vulnerability specifically resides within the `InterpretImageFilename` function, which handles the interpretation of format strings during image processing operations. The flaw manifests when the software encounters format strings containing consecutive percent signs, creating a critical security risk that could be exploited by attackers to compromise systems running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to the security patches released in ImageMagick versions 7.1.2-0 and 6.9.13-26, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this software for image processing tasks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability is an off-by-one error that occurs during the parsing of format strings, specifically when processing consecutive percent signs in filename interpretation. This type of error falls under the CWE-121 category of heap-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows memory access beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. When ImageMagick processes a format string containing consecutive percent signs, the `InterpretImageFilename` function fails to properly validate the length of the buffer before writing data, resulting in out-of-bounds memory corruption. The flaw occurs because the software does not account for the proper handling of escaped percent signs, leading to a situation where memory adjacent to the allocated buffer is overwritten or accessed, potentially causing application crashes or more severe exploitation outcomes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it represents a potential vector for remote code execution in contexts where ImageMagick is used to process untrusted image files from external sources. Attackers could craft malicious image files containing specially formatted strings with consecutive percent signs to trigger the buffer overflow, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running ImageMagick. This risk is particularly concerning given ImageMagick's widespread deployment in web applications, content management systems, and image processing pipelines where users may upload or process images from untrusted sources. The vulnerability could be exploited in various attack scenarios including web application attacks, email attachment processing, and automated image conversion services that rely on ImageMagick's functionality.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to ImageMagick versions 7.1.2-0 or 6.9.13-26 to remediate this vulnerability, as these releases contain the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow issue in the `InterpretImageFilename` function. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as restricting ImageMagick's capabilities in web environments, disabling unnecessary image format support, and implementing proper input validation for all image processing operations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the potential for remote exploitation through web-based attack vectors. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation, monitoring for suspicious file processing activities, and maintaining regular security updates for all image processing software components to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.