CVE-2026-25989 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 crafted SVG file can cause a denial of service. An off-by-one boundary check (`>` instead of `>=`) that allows bypass the guard and reach an undefined `(size_t)` cast. 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
CVE-2026-25989 represents a critical denial of service vulnerability within ImageMagick, a widely deployed image processing library used across numerous applications and systems for digital image manipulation. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on ImageMagick for image processing workflows. The flaw manifests when processing specially crafted svg files that trigger an off-by-one boundary condition in the software's internal code logic. The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a fundamental logical error where the comparison operator is incorrectly set to greater than instead of greater than or equal to, creating a condition that allows execution to bypass intended safety checks. This boundary check failure enables an attacker to manipulate the program flow into an undefined state where a size_t cast operation occurs without proper validation, leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it represents a classic example of a buffer overread condition that can be exploited to cause system crashes or hangs. When an attacker submits a maliciously crafted svg file to an ImageMagick processing system, the flawed boundary check allows execution to proceed past expected limits, potentially leading to memory corruption or infinite loop conditions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses improper validation of array indices, and represents a common pattern in software development where boundary conditions are incorrectly implemented. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor logical errors in code can have severe operational consequences, particularly in widely used libraries that process untrusted input from various sources.
The security implications of CVE-2026-25989 extend into the broader threat landscape, as ImageMagick is integrated into numerous applications including web servers, content management systems, and image processing pipelines. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform denial of service attacks against systems that process user-uploaded images, potentially causing widespread service disruption. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service demonstrates how this flaw can be weaponized to target system availability. Organizations using ImageMagick should prioritize patching to versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, which contain the necessary boundary check corrections. Additionally, implementing input validation measures, sandboxing image processing operations, and monitoring for unusual processing patterns can help mitigate the risk of exploitation. The fix addresses the root cause by correcting the boundary condition from > to >=, ensuring proper validation of input parameters before proceeding with potentially dangerous operations.