CVE-2026-25576 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 02/24/2026
ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, a heap buffer over-read vulnerability exists in multiple raw image format handles. The vulnerability occurs when processing images with -extract dimensions larger than -size dimensions, causing out-of-bounds memory reads from a heap-allocated buffer. Versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40 contain a patch.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-25576 affects ImageMagick, a widely-used open-source software suite for image manipulation and editing that processes numerous digital image formats across various operating systems and applications. This flaw represents a critical heap buffer over-read condition that can be exploited through improper handling of raw image format processing, specifically when dealing with image extraction operations. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, making installations of these older versions susceptible to potential exploitation by malicious actors who might craft specially formatted images to trigger the vulnerability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within ImageMagick's raw image format handlers, particularly when processing images with specific dimension parameters. When users specify extraction dimensions that exceed the original image size dimensions, the software fails to validate these parameters properly, leading to memory access violations where the application attempts to read beyond the allocated heap buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software applications. The flaw manifests during the image processing pipeline when the software calculates memory requirements for extraction operations without adequate validation of input parameters.
The operational impact of CVE-2026-25576 extends beyond simple application crashes, as heap buffer over-read vulnerabilities can potentially enable more sophisticated exploitation techniques including information disclosure, denial of service attacks, or in some cases, arbitrary code execution depending on the system configuration and memory layout. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability by submitting maliciously crafted images to applications that utilize ImageMagick for image processing, potentially leading to system compromise or service disruption. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation, and T1499, which covers network denial of service through resource exhaustion or memory corruption.
Organizations and developers should immediately upgrade to ImageMagick versions 7.1.2-15 or 6.9.13-40, which contain the necessary patches to address this heap buffer over-read condition. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all installations of affected ImageMagick versions across their infrastructure, particularly in environments where users can upload or process images from untrusted sources. Additional mitigations include implementing strict input validation for image processing workflows, deploying sandboxing mechanisms for image handling operations, and monitoring for unusual processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The patch addresses the core issue by implementing proper bounds checking and parameter validation within the raw image format handlers, ensuring that extraction operations cannot exceed the boundaries of allocated memory buffers.