CVE-2026-109265 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2026
ImageMagick 7.1.1-7 before 7.1.2-32 contains a heap buffer over-read vulnerability that allows attackers to read beyond allocated memory due to incorrect string termination in XMP profiles. Attackers can supply a crafted image containing a malformed XMP profile to trigger the over-read and crash the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within ImageMagick versions 7.1.1-7 through 7.1.2-31, specifically affecting the processing logic for Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) profiles embedded in image files. XMP is an industry-standard metadata format used to store information such as copyright details, creation dates, and editing history within digital images. The core technical flaw stems from incorrect string termination handling during the parsing of these XMP profiles. When ImageMagick processes a crafted image containing a malformed or maliciously constructed XMP profile, the software fails to properly validate the boundaries of the memory buffer allocated for storing the parsed metadata strings. This oversight results in a heap-based buffer over-read condition where the application attempts to read data beyond the end of the allocated memory region.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks related to both availability and potential information disclosure. The immediate consequence of triggering this flaw is typically a segmentation fault or application crash, which directly impacts service availability for any system relying on ImageMagick for image processing tasks such as web galleries, document conversion services, or automated media pipelines. While the primary manifestation described is a denial-of-service via crash, heap buffer over-reads can also lead to information disclosure if the out-of-bounds memory contains sensitive data that is subsequently returned to the attacker through error messages or application output. This aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifier CWE-125, which describes Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities where software reads past the end of a buffer.
The attack vector for this vulnerability involves supplying a specially crafted image file that contains an XMP profile designed to exploit the string termination error. This classifies the issue under ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts or System Configuration, if exploited in conjunction with other flaws, but more accurately fits within general input validation failures often associated with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation. The attacker does not necessarily need authentication to exploit this vulnerability if the vulnerable ImageMagick instance is processing untrusted images from external sources, such as user uploads on a web application or automated ingestion systems that do not strictly sanitize incoming media files.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating the ImageMagick installation to version 7.1.2-32 or later, where this specific string termination logic has been corrected to ensure proper bounds checking before accessing memory regions associated with XMP profiles. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, defensive measures should include implementing strict input validation at the network perimeter using web application firewalls that can detect and block malformed metadata structures in uploaded images. Additionally, running ImageMagick processes within restricted containers or sandboxed environments can limit the impact of a potential crash or information leak by isolating the vulnerable component from critical system resources and sensitive data stores. Regular auditing of image processing pipelines to ensure only expected file formats are processed further reduces the attack surface for such memory corruption vulnerabilities.