GIMP
CVE-2026-2044
HIGH
Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessCraft malicious PGM image file
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DeliveryDeliver via email or malicious web page
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ExploitVictim opens file in GIMP
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ExecutionPGM parser accesses uninitialized memory
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PersistCorrupt process state and hijack control flow
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ImpactExecute arbitrary code as current user
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Variable initialization
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| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires the victim to open or load an attacker-crafted PGM (Portable Gray Map / Netpbm) image file in GIMP 3.0.6, either by opening a downloaded file or visiting a page that serves one - the malicious PGM input parsed by GIMP's PGM loader IS the precondition. No authentication or prior access is needed (PR:N), but exploitation is fundamentally gated by required user interaction (UI:R): an attacker cannot trigger the bug remotely without the user actively opening the malicious file. Limiting factors that reduce realistic risk are the dependence on social engineering to get the file opened, the specific affected build (GIMP 3.0.6 / distro-packaged equivalents), and the absence of any auto-execution or server-side exposure path. |
| Impact | Signals are mixed but lean toward 'patch on a normal cadence' rather than 'emergency.' The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8 (High) with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R, meaning unauthenticated, low-complexity exploitation that is gated only by required user interaction (opening or being served a malicious file). Against that, the EPSS score is very low (0.06%, 20th percentile), the CVE is NOT on CISA KEV, and there is no public proof-of-concept or evidence of active exploitation - consistent with a ZDI-coordinated disclosure where exploitation details are withheld until patched. The UI:R requirement and the fact that exploitation depends on a user voluntarily opening an attacker-controlled image meaningfully reduce real-world risk versus a server-side, no-interaction RCE. Note a nuance: CVSS scores this AV:N because the malicious file can be delivered over the network (web download/email), but the actual trigger is local file parsing - defenders should treat the network vector as a delivery channel, not as remote service exposure. Net: a credible client-side RCE worth prompt patching for workstations that process untrusted images, but not a drop-everything internet-facing emergency given low EPSS and no known exploitation. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker emails a finance or design employee a file that looks like an ordinary grayscale image, or hosts it behind a 'preview/download' link, and lures the victim into opening it in GIMP. When GIMP's PGM loader parses the crafted header/pixel data, it operates on uninitialized memory, allowing the attacker to corrupt state and execute code as the victim's user. No public proof-of-concept is identified at time of analysis, and exploitation requires the victim to open the file (UI:R), so delivery relies on social engineering. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv5 – Jun 30, 2026
Remote code execution in GIMP 3.0.6 allows attackers to run arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a malicious PGM (Portable Gray Map) image file or visiting a page that delivers one. The PGM parser accesses memory before it is properly initialized (CWE-908), letting a crafted file corrupt program state and hijack execution in the context of the current user. Discovered and reported via Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-26-118 / ZDI-CAN-28158); no public exploit identified at time of analysis and EPSS exploitation probability is low (0.06%, 20th percentile).
Earlier versions of this analysis (4)
Remote code execution in GIMP 3.0.6 allows attackers to run arbitrary code when a victim opens a maliciously crafted PGM (Portable GrayMap) image or visits a page that delivers one. The flaw stems from use of uninitialized memory in GIMP's PGM parser (CWE-908) and was reported through Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-CAN-28158, ZDI-26-118). No public exploit identified at time of analysis, and EPSS is low at 0.06% (20th percentile), but the CVSS of 8.8 reflects high impact contingent on user interaction.
Remote code execution in GIMP 3.0.6 lets attackers run arbitrary code when a victim opens a crafted PGM (Portable Gray Map) image or visits a page that delivers one. The flaw stems from uninitialized memory being accessed during PGM parsing (CWE-908), executing code in the context of the current user. Discovered and reported through Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-CAN-28158 / ZDI-26-118); no public exploit identified at time of analysis, and EPSS exploitation probability is very low at 0.06% (20th percentile).
Remote code execution in GIMP 3.0.6 lets attackers run arbitrary code in the context of the GIMP process when a victim opens a maliciously crafted PGM (Portable Gray Map) image. The flaw stems from use of uninitialized memory (CWE-908) in the PGM parser, and exploitation requires user interaction - the target must open the malicious file or visit a page that delivers it. Discovered and reported through Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-CAN-28158 / ZDI-26-118); no public exploit identified at time of analysis and EPSS is low at 0.06% (20th percentile).
GIMP PGM File Parsing Uninitialized Memory Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GIMP. [CVSS 7.8 HIGH]
RemediationAI
Patch available per vendor advisory: upgrade GIMP to the fixed release incorporating the upstream change in GNOME GitLab merge request 2569 (commit 112a5e038f0646eae5ae314988ec074433d2b365, https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/merge_requests/2569). The exact fixed GIMP version string is not stated in the provided data and should be confirmed against the GNOME release notes; on enterprise Linux, apply the distribution updates directly - Red Hat customers via RHSA-2026:5113 and related errata (https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:5113) and SUSE customers via SUSE-SU-2026:0684 (https://www.suse.com/support/update/SUSE-SU-2026:0684/). Until patched, the most effective compensating control is to avoid opening PGM/Netpbm images from untrusted sources and to not register GIMP as the default handler for such files, which prevents one-click triggering at the cost of manual file association; organizations can also block or quarantine .pgm (and broader .pnm/.ppm/.pbm) attachments at the mail/web gateway, accepting that this may disrupt legitimate scientific or imaging workflows that rely on the format. Run GIMP under a least-privileged account or sandbox (e.g. the Flatpak confinement) so a successful exploit gains only limited context.
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Technical ContextAI · show details
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a cross-platform raster graphics editor. The flaw lives in its loader for the Netpbm PGM format, a simple grayscale image format that GIMP parses natively. The CWE-908 'Use of Uninitialized Resource' root cause means the parser reads or operates on a memory buffer (e.g. pixel/header data) whose contents or size were never properly set from the file before being used, producing undefined behavior that an attacker can steer toward control-flow hijack and code execution. The affected build is identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:gimp:gimp:3.0.6, and the upstream fix is tracked in GNOME GitLab merge request 2569 (commit 112a5e038f0646eae5ae314988ec074433d2b365). Because GIMP ships in major Linux distributions, the same defect propagates into vendor packages, reflected by parallel Red Hat (RHSA-2026:4173, 5113, 5388-5391, 5434-5437) and SUSE (SUSE-SU-2026:0684) errata.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Malicious file is delivered over the network (AV:N) and parsed with low complexity, but requires the user to open it (UI:R); code execution as the user yields full C/I/A:H with no scope change.
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from Vendor (trendmicro).
CVSS VectorVendor: trendmicro
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
GIMP PGM File Parsing Uninitialized Memory Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GIMP. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.
The specific flaw exists within the parsing of PGM files. The issue results from the lack of proper initialization of memory prior to accessing it. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-28158.
Zero Day Initiative Advisories
Executive ViewAI
GIMP 3.0.6 contains a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability triggered by opening malicious image files, affecting any organization with content creation or design teams. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the vulnerability allows unauthorized system access and data theft if users open untrusted images, making patch deployment a priority action.
Apply vendor patch.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
VulDB
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org
Buffer overflow in the readstr_upto function in plug-ins/script-fu/tinyscheme/scheme.c in GIMP 2.6.12 and earlier, and p
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in file-xwd.c in the X Window Dump (XWD) plug-in in GIMP 2.8.2 allow remote attack
In GIMP 2.8.22, there is a heap-based buffer overflow in read_channel_data in plug-ins/common/file-psp.c. Rated high sev
fits-io.c in GIMP before 2.8.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and applic
An issue in gimp_layer_invalidate_boundary of GNOME GIMP 2.10.30 allows attackers to trigger an unhandled exception via
GIMP 2.10.30 and 2.99.10 are vulnerable to Buffer Overflow. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no a
GIMP through 2.10.2 makes g_get_tmp_dir calls to establish temporary filenames, which may result in a filename that alre
Critical remote code execution vulnerability in GIMP's ICO file parser caused by an integer overflow (CWE-190) that lack
Remote code execution in GIMP 3.2.0-rc1 lets attackers run arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a malicious IC
Use-after-free vulnerability in the xcf_load_image function in app/xcf/xcf-load.c in GIMP allows remote attackers to cau
Heap-based buffer overflow in GIMP's TIF file parser enables remote code execution when a user opens a crafted TIFF imag
Arbitrary code execution in GIMP results from a heap-based buffer overflow in the HDR file parser, where attacker-contro
Same weakness CWE-908 – Use of Uninitialized Resource
View allVendor StatusVendor
SUSE
Severity: High| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| SUSE Liberty Linux 8 | Fixed |
| SUSE Liberty Linux 9 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | Fixed |
GitHub PoC
Exploit-DB