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GIMP EUVDEUVD-2026-63451

| CVE-2026-18302 HIGH
Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122)
2026-08-20 zdi GHSA-5gmv-r46m-x6rr
7.8
CVSS 3.0 · Vendor: zdi
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Recon
    Craft malicious TIFF with oversized field
  2. Delivery
    Deliver file via phishing or malicious web page
  3. Exploit
    Induce victim to open file in GIMP 3.2.2
  4. Install
    TIF parser copies data without length validation
  5. C2
    Heap buffer overflows, corrupting adjacent memory
  6. Execute
    Attacker redirects execution flow
  7. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code as victim user

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the target user to actively open a crafted TIFF file using GIMP 3.2.2 - the explicitly confirmed affected version per EUVD-2026-63451. The CVSS vector confirms PR:N (no attacker privileges required) and UI:R (victim must perform the file-open action, either directly in GIMP or via an OS file-association triggered by a download). The vulnerability is in the TIF file parsing code path specifically, meaning only TIFF-format files trigger the flaw; other image formats are not implicated. Exploitation is bounded to the current user process (S:U), so no privilege escalation or cross-system scope change occurs. Key limiting factors: the victim must be running the affected GIMP version, must receive and open the malicious TIFF file, and the attacker cannot exploit this vulnerability via network-only access absent that interaction.

Impact

CVSS 7.8 with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H reflects a local, user-interaction-dependent attack with no attacker privileges required and full impact across all three security pillars. The local attack vector (AV:L) is the primary limiting factor - the attacker cannot exploit this vulnerability over the network without the victim first opening the malicious file. Attack complexity is low once the file is opened, meaning exploitation is straightforward for an attacker who can engineer that interaction. EPSS data is absent from the provided intelligence, limiting probabilistic forecasting; KEV status is not listed, and no public exploit code has been identified, so exploitation risk currently depends entirely on targeted social engineering delivery rather than automated scanning. Despite the absence of active exploitation signals, the ZDI origin and high C:H/I:H/A:H triad make this a genuine remediation priority for any organization where GIMP is deployed on endpoints handling externally sourced image files - even a mid-sized organization's creative or technical team represents a realistic delivery surface. No conflicting signals exist between the CVSS vector and the description; both consistently describe a file-open-triggered local heap overflow.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker crafts a malicious TIFF image embedding an oversized data field targeting GIMP's heap-based TIF parser buffer. The file is delivered via a phishing email, a compromised file-sharing link, or a webpage that prompts the victim to download and open it - inducing the required user interaction. When the victim opens the file in GIMP 3.2.2, the parser copies the oversized attacker-controlled data into the undersized heap buffer, corrupting adjacent heap memory and enabling the attacker to redirect code execution to arbitrary shellcode running with the privileges of the current user. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.5% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 20, 2026

Heap-based buffer overflow in GIMP's TIF file parser (CWE-122) enables remote code execution on affected installations when a user opens a crafted TIFF image. Confirmed affected version is GIMP 3.2.2 per EUVD-2026-63451, with the flaw originating from missing length validation before copying attacker-controlled data to a heap buffer. Discovered and reported by Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-26-455 / ZDI-CAN-29398); no public exploit or CISA KEV listing has been identified at time of analysis, though an upstream patch commit exists on GNOME GitLab.

RemediationAI

Apply the upstream fix available as Git commit 77e1a11636fae53c922fe92273b8f4e33c7a9176 on the GNOME GitLab repository at https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/commit/77e1a11636fae53c922fe92273b8f4e33c7a9176, which directly addresses the heap buffer overflow in TIF parsing. A formally released patched build version has not been independently confirmed from the available data - monitor GIMP's official release channel and the ZDI advisory at https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-455/ for a stable tagged release incorporating this fix. As compensating controls prior to a patched release, disable OS-level or browser file-handler associations that auto-open TIF/TIFF files in GIMP, preventing passive delivery via web-triggered downloads. Users should be advised not to open TIFF files from untrusted sources in GIMP until patched; as a trade-off, this restricts a common legitimate workflow for image editors. Organizations may also consider sandboxing GIMP via container or OS-level isolation (e.g., Flatpak, firejail) to limit post-exploitation blast radius to the current user process.

Affected VersionsENISA

GIMP 3.2.2

Affected Packages

euvd gimp no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) version 3.2.2 is the explicitly confirmed affected release per EUVD-2026-63451, represented under CPE cpe:2.3:a:gimp:gimp:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*. The root cause is CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow): the TIFF file parsing routine copies attacker-supplied data into a heap-allocated buffer without first validating that the data length does not exceed the buffer's capacity, enabling heap memory corruption. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a complex binary format where fields carry explicit length descriptors - a natural attack surface when parsers trust caller-supplied length values without bounds checks. The vulnerable code path is in GIMP's native TIF parsing subsystem; the GitLab commit at https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/commit/77e1a11636fae53c922fe92273b8f4e33c7a9176 represents the upstream fix. The CVSS 3.0 vector AV:L reflects that exploitation is contingent on the victim opening a crafted file locally.

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Severity by source

Vendor (zdi) PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local vector because exploitation requires the victim to open a file; no attacker privileges needed; mandatory user interaction; full impact on all three pillars with no scope change.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
SUSE HIGH
Red Hat 7.8 HIGH

Primary rating from Vendor (zdi).

CVSS VectorVendor: zdi

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

GIMP TIF File Parsing Heap-based Buffer Overflow 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 TIF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-29398.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

GIMP 3.2.2 contains a remote code execution vulnerability triggered by opening malicious TIFF image files, potentially providing attackers complete system access. The attack vector-a simple file attachment-makes this a practical threat to creative teams and other GIMP-using departments where image handling is routine. No patch has been released; immediate compensating controls are required.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Restrict GIMP access to essential users and monitor usage. Disable TIFF file associations with GIMP where possible. Implement email filtering to block TIFF attachments from external senders. If image processing is business-critical, establish a sandboxed or air-gapped environment for handling untrusted files. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, providing a window for remediation before active exploitation likely occurs. An upstream patch commit exists on GNOME GitLab but has not yet been released as a vendor-distributed update.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.5%
Top 60% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
popular open-source image editor used widely by creative and technical professionals
Data Quality
7 sources
Confidence: High
EUVD NVD CVE.org EPSS Vulnrichment Vendor 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.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.5%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

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Vendor StatusVendor

SUSE

Severity: Important
Product Status
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP7 Affected

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