CVE-2026-79902 in GIMP
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2026
A flaw was found in the Seattle FilmWorks plugin in GIMP. When processing a specially crafted SFW image file, the plugin allocates a Variable-Length Array (VLA) on the stack without integer overflow checks, causing an unbounded stack allocation. This issue leads to an application crash, resulting in a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2026
The vulnerability identified within the Seattle FilmWorks plugin for GIMP represents a classic instance of improper input validation leading to resource exhaustion and subsequent application instability. The core technical flaw resides in how the plugin handles image data during the processing phase. Specifically, when encountering a specially crafted SFW file, the software allocates a Variable-Length Array on the stack based on dimensions or parameters derived directly from the untrusted input without performing necessary integer overflow checks. This lack of validation allows an attacker to supply values that result in excessively large allocation requests. Because the size calculation is not bounded by reasonable limits nor protected against arithmetic wraparound, the resulting memory request can exceed available system resources or stack space constraints.
The operational impact of this flaw is primarily a denial of service condition for users interacting with GIMP. When the application attempts to allocate the unbounded array on the stack, it inevitably fails due to insufficient memory availability or stack overflow conditions. This failure triggers an immediate crash of the GIMP process. For end-users, particularly those who rely on GIMP for professional image editing workflows, this results in data loss if unsaved work is present and disrupts productivity by forcing a restart of the application. While the vulnerability does not currently indicate remote code execution capabilities due to its stack-based nature and lack of control over instruction pointers, it effectively neutralizes the availability of the software component affected.
From a classification perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-120 Buffer Overflow without bounds checking in C/C++, specifically manifesting as an unbounded memory allocation on the stack. It also relates to CWE-789 Uncontrolled Memory Allocation, where the system fails to restrict the amount of resources consumed by user input. In terms of adversarial tactics, this vulnerability supports techniques associated with resource exhaustion within the ATT&CK framework, particularly those aimed at disrupting service availability rather than compromising confidentiality or integrity directly. The attack vector is typically local if triggered via a crafted file opened through the application interface, though it could be exploited in automated pipelines where untrusted images are processed without prior sanitization.
Mitigation strategies should focus on both immediate patching and long-term defensive coding practices. Users of GIMP must apply the latest security updates provided by the maintainers to ensure that integer overflow checks and bounds validation are implemented within the Seattle FilmWorks plugin codebase. For developers, it is critical to replace variable-length arrays with heap-allocated buffers where appropriate or enforce strict size limits before any allocation occurs. Input sanitization routines should verify that all dimensions and parameters fall within expected ranges for valid image files. Additionally, enabling compiler flags such as stack protectors can provide an additional layer of defense against stack-based overflows, although they do not prevent the initial crash caused by excessive allocation requests. Regular code audits focusing on memory management in C/C++ plugins are essential to identify similar patterns across other components of the software suite.