CVE-2026-25637 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 02/24/2026
ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to version 7.1.2-15, a memory leak in the ASHLAR image writer allows an attacker to exhaust process memory by providing a crafted image that results in small objects that are allocated but never freed. Version 7.1.2-15 contains a patch.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-25637 affects ImageMagick, a widely-used free and open-source software suite for digital image editing and manipulation. This software is prevalent across various platforms and applications, making it a critical component in digital media processing workflows. The specific flaw resides within the ASHLAR image writer module, which handles a particular image format used in digital imaging applications. The vulnerability represents a classic memory management issue that can be exploited to cause denial of service conditions through resource exhaustion.
The technical flaw manifests as a memory leak within the ASHLAR image writer implementation where small memory objects are allocated during image processing but never properly deallocated. This occurs when the software processes a specially crafted image file that triggers the allocation of memory segments that remain in the process heap without being freed. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows an attacker to gradually consume available memory resources through repeated processing of maliciously crafted input files. The leak occurs during the image writing process where the software fails to properly manage memory cleanup operations for temporary objects created during format conversion.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems that process untrusted image files, particularly those exposed to external users or automated processing pipelines. The memory leak can be exploited to cause gradual system degradation or complete denial of service conditions, as the process memory consumption continues to increase until system resources are exhausted. This vulnerability affects systems running ImageMagick versions prior to 7.1.2-15, making it crucial for organizations to assess their software inventory and apply the necessary patches. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where image processing is performed on user-uploaded content or in server-side applications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses memory leaks in software systems, and represents a typical example of how improper resource management can lead to security issues. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers resource exhaustion attacks targeting memory resources. Organizations should implement immediate patch management protocols to address this issue, as version 7.1.2-15 contains the necessary fixes. Additional mitigations include implementing input validation for image files, restricting image processing capabilities for untrusted content, and monitoring system memory usage for unusual patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented in version 7.1.2-15 demonstrates proper memory management practices that ensure allocated resources are properly freed during the image processing workflow, preventing the accumulation of leaked memory objects that could eventually exhaust system resources.