CVE-2026-106577 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to 7.1.2-31 and 6.9.13-56, unescaped or untrimmed values can inject code into output generated by PostScript coders. This issue is fixed in versions 7.1.2-31 and 6.9.13-56.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
ImageMagick serves as a foundational toolset for digital image processing, widely deployed across web applications, content management systems, and automated pipelines to handle the conversion, resizing, and manipulation of various raster graphics formats. The software relies on delegate programs to process specific file types, including PostScript (PS), Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), and PDF documents. These delegates often invoke external interpreters or renderers that execute code embedded within the image metadata or structure. When ImageMagick processes such files, it passes data from the input document to these underlying engines without sufficient sanitization in certain legacy configurations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit this trust relationship.
The core technical flaw lies in the handling of unescaped or untrimmed values when generating output through PostScript coders. Specifically, if an attacker crafts a maliciously constructed image file containing specially formatted text strings or metadata fields that are not properly escaped before being passed to the PostScript interpreter, these inputs can break out of their intended context. This lack of input validation allows for arbitrary code injection into the generated PostScript stream. Since PostScript is a Turing-complete programming language capable of executing system commands and accessing file systems, this vulnerability effectively transforms an image processing operation into a remote code execution vector. The issue persists in versions prior to 7.1.2-31 and 6.9.13-56 due to insufficient filtering mechanisms that fail to neutralize special characters or control sequences within the data pipeline leading to the PostScript engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it can lead to full system compromise on servers running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick without requiring user interaction beyond uploading a malicious file. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the service account running the ImageMagick process. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification or deletion of files, installation of backdoors, or use of the compromised server as part of a botnet for further attacks. In cloud environments where image processing is automated and scaled horizontally, this vulnerability can be exploited at scale to achieve widespread infrastructure compromise. The severity is amplified by the fact that many web applications accept user-uploaded images without rigorous validation, assuming the file format itself provides sufficient security boundaries.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection) and falls under MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically relating to command injection via input data manipulation. It also relates to CWE-20 Improper Input Validation regarding the failure to sanitize special characters before processing. To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade ImageMagick to version 7.1.2-31 or later for the v7 branch, or version 6.9.13-56 and later for the legacy v6 branch. These releases include patches that properly escape and trim input values before they are passed to PostScript coders, thereby neutralizing injection attempts. Additionally, administrators should implement strict file type validation on upload endpoints, restrict ImageMagick permissions using sandboxing techniques such as AppArmor or SELinux policies, and disable dangerous delegates like PS if not explicitly required by business logic. Regular auditing of third-party dependencies and keeping software up to date are critical components of a defense-in-depth strategy against such code injection vulnerabilities.