Heap overwrite via truncated XBM row count
Published Jan 20, 2026 · Updated Jan 20, 2026
Heap buffer overflow in ImageMagick allows remote attackers to overwrite heap memory with controlled bytes via a crafted XBM image. ReadXBMImage truncates the size_t row count to unsigned int when allocating its XBM data buffer, then iterates using the original row count and copies attacker-controlled hex bytes past the allocation. No product authentication or user interaction is required when an application automatically processes untrusted uploads; exploitation requires extreme XBM dimensions that trigger truncation.
Summary
What happened
Heap buffer overflow in ImageMagick allows remote attackers to overwrite heap memory with controlled bytes via a crafted XBM image. ReadXBMImage truncates the size_t row count to unsigned int when allocating its XBM data buffer, then iterates using the original row count and copies attacker-controlled hex bytes past the allocation. No product authentication or user interaction is required when an application automatically processes untrusted uploads; exploitation requires extreme XBM dimensions that trigger truncation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-23876
- Published
- Jan 20, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 20, 2026
- Vendor
- ImageMagick Studio LLC
- Product
- ImageMagick
- Classifications
- CWE-122, CWE-190, T1203
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 20, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=< 6.9.13-38
- Affected versionversion=< 7.1.2-13
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- GHSA-r49w-jqq3-3gx8 crash demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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