CVE-2026-107209 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to 7.1.2-30 and 6.9.13-55, when ImageMagick is built without Cairo support, a crafted RSVG image that reaches a resource limit can cause the RSVG decoder to free image state twice and then use freed memory, crashing the process. This issue is fixed in versions 7.1.2-30 and 6.9.13-55.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
ImageMagick serves as a foundational toolset for digital image processing across numerous software ecosystems, handling formats ranging from standard raster images to complex vector-based representations like Scalable Vector Graphics via the RSVG backend. The vulnerability described herein specifically targets installations where ImageMagick is compiled without support for the Cairo graphics library, isolating the flaw within the native SVG rendering engine rather than its external dependencies. This distinction is critical because it indicates that systems relying on alternative backends or minimal builds remain susceptible to this specific memory management error even if they have patched other areas of the software suite. The core technical flaw resides in the RSVG decoder's handling of resource limits during the parsing and rendering of crafted SVG files. When a maliciously constructed image triggers these internal thresholds, the decoder fails to properly manage its internal state machine, leading to a double-free condition where memory allocated for image context is released more than once before being accessed again.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on process instability rather than direct remote code execution in most default configurations. The immediate consequence of freeing and then using freed memory is the corruption of heap metadata or critical data structures, which invariably causes the ImageMagick process to crash with a segmentation fault or similar fatal error. For applications that utilize ImageMagick as part of their pipeline, such as web galleries, document converters, or automated image processing services, this translates into a Denial of Service condition where legitimate users are unable to access resources due to service interruptions. While double-free vulnerabilities can sometimes be leveraged for arbitrary code execution through sophisticated heap exploitation techniques, the primary and most certain impact observed in this context is system instability and availability loss. Attackers do not need high-level privileges to trigger this crash; they merely need to supply a maliciously crafted SVG file that exceeds specific resource limits defined by the decoder's internal logic.
From a vulnerability classification perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-415 Double Free, which describes the error of freeing memory twice without reinitializing pointers or checking allocation status between operations. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous because it corrupts the heap allocator’s state, potentially leading to further exploitation vectors if an attacker can control what data occupies the freed memory region before the second free operation occurs. In terms of offensive security frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK, this vulnerability falls under techniques related to Resource Hijacking or Denial of Service, specifically within the context of application layer attacks where availability is compromised through software bugs rather than network-level flooding. The lack of Cairo support in certain builds highlights a common risk in modular software architectures: vulnerabilities may persist in less commonly used code paths if security updates are not applied comprehensively across all compilation variants and dependencies.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate version upgrades to ImageMagick 7.1.2-30 or 6.9.13-55, as these releases contain the necessary patches for memory management logic within the RSVG decoder. Organizations should audit their deployment environments to identify any instances where ImageMagick is running with Cairo support disabled, ensuring that security updates are applied uniformly regardless of feature flags used during compilation. Additionally, implementing input validation and resource limit enforcement at the application layer can provide a secondary defense-in-depth measure. By restricting the size or complexity of SVG files accepted by downstream applications before they reach the ImageMagick library, administrators can reduce the attack surface even if patching is delayed. Regular monitoring for process crashes related to image processing services should also be established to detect potential exploitation attempts in real-time, allowing for rapid incident response and containment.