Executive brief
GIMP is a popular open-source image editing software used for photo retouching and image composition. A vulnerability in how it handles certain image files could allow an attacker to crash the application or potentially view sensitive information from the computer's memory. This occurs when a user is tricked into opening a specially crafted PCX image file.
Technical details
An off-by-one error (CWE-193) exists in the GIMP PCX file loader component, leading to a heap buffer over-read. The vulnerability is triggered when the application parses a specially crafted PCX image file. While the attack requires local user interaction (opening the file), it can result in out-of-bounds memory disclosure or an application crash (Denial of Service). Red Hat has assigned a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium), while NIST's assessment reached 7.1 (High). Patches are available in GIMP version 3.2.0 and via various Red Hat Enterprise Linux security advisories (RHSA-2026:16484, RHSA-2026:17533).
Affected products
- GNOME GIMP versions up to (excluding) 3.2.0
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0
Timeline
- 2026-03-26: disclosed: Initial disclosure date
- 2026-05-12: patched: Red Hat released initial security updates (RHSA-2026:16484)