Junglewise Threat Intelligence

CVE-2026-4153: GIMP PSP file parsing heap-based buffer overflow

CVE-2026-4153 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-04-11

Technologies: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Gimp. Vendors: Red Hat, Gimp.

Executive brief

A vulnerability exists in GIMP, a popular open-source image editor, specifically in how it handles PaintShop Pro (PSP) image files. An attacker could create a malicious image file that, when opened by a user, allows the attacker to take control of the computer or execute unauthorized commands. This could lead to the theft of sensitive data or a complete system compromise if a user is tricked into opening a specially crafted file.

Technical details

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in GIMP's PSP (PaintShop Pro) file parsing logic. The flaw is caused by insufficient validation of user-supplied data lengths before copying content into a heap-allocated buffer. An attacker can exploit this by inducing a user to open a specially crafted PSP file, leading to an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787). Successful exploitation allows for arbitrary code execution within the context of the GIMP process. Patches have been released by GIMP and downstream maintainers like Red Hat to address the issue.

Affected products

  • GIMP GIMP 3.0.4-1, 2.8.22-26
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9

Timeline

  • 2026-03-05: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to vendor
  • 2026-03-19: advisory: Coordinated public release of ZDI advisory
  • 2026-04-11: advisory: NVD publication date
  • 2026-05-12: patched: Red Hat released security updates (RHSA-2026:16484)

References

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