CVE-2026-17264 in RadiAnt DICOM
Summary
by MITRE • 08/07/2026
Opening a crafted DICOM file containing malicious JPEG-compressed pixel data triggers an attacker-controlled heap out-of-bounds write, which may allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing specially crafted DICOM files with malicious JPEG-compressed pixel data. The flaw manifests during the decompression and parsing of medical imaging data, where an attacker can manipulate the JPEG compression parameters to cause an out-of-bounds write operation within the application's heap memory management system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write classification, which specifically addresses writing beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions.
The technical execution of this attack requires an attacker to construct a DICOM file containing malformed JPEG-compressed pixel data that, when processed by vulnerable software, triggers the heap corruption. The vulnerability typically occurs in medical imaging applications such as Picture Archiving and Communication Systems PACS or radiology workstations that handle DICOM format files for image storage and retrieval. During the JPEG decompression process, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the compressed pixel data, allowing an attacker to manipulate memory layout through carefully crafted compression headers or data sequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it can enable full system compromise when exploited remotely. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains the ability to execute arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The remote execution capability means that an attacker could deliver malicious DICOM files through standard network channels without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in healthcare environments where medical imaging systems are often connected to broader networks.
This vulnerability aligns with several tactics from the MITRE ATT&CK framework including T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for code execution, T1133 External Remote Services for potential network-based exploitation, and T1203 Exploitation for Access Through a Vulnerability. The attack chain typically involves initial reconnaissance to identify vulnerable systems, followed by delivery of the malicious DICOM file through email, web portals, or direct network transfer, and finally exploitation resulting in remote code execution. Healthcare organizations face particular risk due to the widespread use of DICOM format across medical imaging systems and the relatively low security awareness in these environments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of vulnerable software components, implementing strict input validation for all DICOM file processing operations, and deploying network segmentation to isolate medical imaging systems from general corporate networks. Additional protective measures involve configuring application whitelisting policies, enabling automatic updates for medical imaging software, and establishing robust monitoring for unusual DICOM file processing activities. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for DICOM file analysis and maintaining regular security assessments of their medical imaging infrastructure to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.