CVE-2021-3574Public exploit

Memory leak via late TIFF channel validation

Published Aug 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Memory leak in ImageMagick 7.0.11-5 allows local users to consume process memory by supplying a crafted TIFF file. In ReadTIFFImage, the TIFF channel-count limit is checked only after AcquireQuantumInfo and pixel-buffer setup allocate memory, and the error path returns without releasing those allocations. Triggering requires a user or application to process the TIFF; each failed decode leaves the quantum allocations live until the process exits.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in ImageMagick 7.0.11-5 allows local users to consume process memory by supplying a crafted TIFF file. In ReadTIFFImage, the TIFF channel-count limit is checked only after AcquireQuantumInfo and pixel-buffer setup allocate memory, and the error path returns without releasing those allocations. Triggering requires a user or application to process the TIFF; each failed decode leaves the quantum allocations live until the process exits.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3574
Published
Aug 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
ImageMagick Studio LLC
Product
ImageMagick
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 26, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=Fixed in ImageMagick-7.0.11-8, ImageMagick-6.9.12-8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ImageMagick Studio LLC · ImageMagickversion=Fixed in ImageMagick-7.0.11-8, ImageMagick-6.9.12-8

Published CVSS scores

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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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