CVE-2020-27769Public exploit

Undefined behavior via unbounded posterization values

Published May 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Undefined behavior in ImageMagick before 7.0.9-0 allows attackers to trigger invalid float conversions through a crafted PDF file. In PosterizeImage, posterization arithmetic casts unbounded pixel results directly to Quantum values; the patch instead clamps those results and bounds intensity comparisons to the integer range. An operator or integrating application must process attacker-supplied content with the crafted transformation parameters, and Red Hat reported no demonstrated impact beyond the undefined behavior and an availability risk.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability1.09%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Undefined behavior in ImageMagick before 7.0.9-0 allows attackers to trigger invalid float conversions through a crafted PDF file. In PosterizeImage, posterization arithmetic casts unbounded pixel results directly to Quantum values; the patch instead clamps those results and bounds intensity comparisons to the integer range. An operator or integrating application must process attacker-supplied content with the crafted transformation parameters, and Red Hat reported no demonstrated impact beyond the undefined behavior and an availability risk.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-27769
Published
May 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
ImageMagick Studio LLC
Product
ImageMagick
Classifications
CWE-190, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=ImageMagick versions before 7.0.9-0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ImageMagick Studio LLC · ImageMagickversion=ImageMagick versions before 7.0.9-0

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-190Integer Overflow or Wraparound
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo