CVE-2026-116152 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2026
ImageMagick before 7.1.2-33 contains a memory leak vulnerability in the MAT decoder that fails to release allocated memory in a specific error path. Attackers can supply crafted MAT files that trigger this error path repeatedly, causing small memory leaks that gradually consume process memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the MAGICK image processing library, specifically affecting versions prior to 7.1.2-33 in its handling of the MAT file format decoder. This component is responsible for parsing and interpreting MATLAB matrix files, a common data interchange format used extensively in scientific computing and engineering applications. The core technical flaw is classified as an improper resource management issue where the application fails to properly release allocated memory resources when encountering specific error conditions during the decoding process. In normal operation, the decoder allocates buffers to store image metadata and pixel data; however, under certain malformed or crafted input scenarios, the execution flow diverts into an error handling path that neglects to free these previously allocated blocks of heap memory. This represents a classic instance of CWE-401, which defines missing release of memory after effective usage, leading to resource exhaustion over time rather than immediate crash or code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily centered on denial of service through resource consumption. Because the leak occurs in an error path triggered by malformed input, an attacker can exploit this by repeatedly submitting crafted MAT files that force the decoder into this faulty state. Each successful trigger results in a small but persistent memory leak within the process space hosting ImageMagick. While individual leaks are negligible, their cumulative effect over time leads to significant degradation of system performance as available RAM is gradually consumed. This can eventually cause the application to crash due out-of-memory conditions or force the operating system kernel to invoke its Out-Of-Memory killer mechanism, terminating critical services and disrupting availability for legitimate users. The severity is further compounded if ImageMagick is deployed in a server-side context where it processes untrusted user-uploaded images, as this allows remote attackers to induce resource exhaustion without requiring authentication or prior access privileges.
From an offensive security perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique of Resource Hijacking, specifically under the sub-technique for Denial of Service via memory consumption. Attackers can leverage this flaw in automated campaigns to destabilize image processing pipelines, content management systems, or any web application that utilizes ImageMagick for thumbnail generation or format conversion. The exploitability relies on the ability to supply arbitrary MAT files to the vulnerable service, which is a common vector in many modern web applications dealing with file uploads. Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching of the underlying library to version 7.1.2-33 or later where this memory management defect has been corrected by ensuring proper deallocation in all code paths. Additionally, organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization at the application layer before files reach the ImageMagick engine. Deploying resource limits such as ulimits on Linux systems can also mitigate the impact by capping the maximum memory a single process can consume, thereby preventing total system instability even if an attack is attempted. Regular auditing of third-party dependencies for known vulnerabilities remains essential to maintaining robust security posture in environments reliant on complex image processing libraries.