# CVE-2026-4887: GIMP heap buffer over-read in PCX file loader

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-4887-gimp-heap-buffer-over-read-in-pcx-file-loader  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-03-26. Updated: 2026-05-20  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-4887 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.1 · Published 2026-03-26

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.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-4887 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-4887 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-4887?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.1, published 26 March 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** GNOME GIMP versions up to (excluding) 3.2.0; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-4887?** A patch was published on 2026-05-12: Red Hat released initial security updates (RHSA-2026:16484) Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-4887 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-4887?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## 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)

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:16484](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:16484)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:17533](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:17533)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19362](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19362)
- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-4887](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-4887)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2451669](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2451669)
- [https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/issues/15960](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/issues/15960)