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The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-26284, exists in the `BilateralBlurImage` function of ImageMagick . It is a heap buffer over-read caused by an incorrect conversion during image processing [citation:]. When a user or automated system applies the `-bilateral-blur` operation to a specifically crafted image, the miscalculation leads to the program reading data from memory beyond the intended buffer boundary. This out-of-bounds read can result in a crash (denial of service) or potentially expose sensitive information from memory [citation:]. The issue was published to the National Vulnerability Database on March 10, 2026, and added to the GitHub Advisory Database on March 12, 2026, where it was also reviewed [citation:]. This vulnerability is part of a larger set of security updates released by distributors like SUSE to address multiple ImageMagick flaws .
dailycve form:
Platform: ImageMagick
Version: 7.1.1-42
Vulnerability : Heap Buffer Over-Read
Severity: Moderate
date: March 12, 2026
Prediction: March 15, 2026
What Undercode Say:
Analytics:
Vulnerabilities in image processing libraries like ImageMagick are frequently targeted because they are often used in web applications and automated processing pipelines . A heap buffer over-read, while primarily a denial-of-service vector, can sometimes be chained with other bugs to achieve information disclosure. The “Moderate” severity rating suggests the primary impact is system stability and potential data leaks, rather than direct remote code execution. The quick review and publishing timeline (within days) indicates active triage by both NVD and GitHub.
Exploit:
A Proof-of-Concept command to trigger the vulnerability This uses a crafted image file (exploit.png) designed to cause an incorrect conversion in the BilateralBlurImage function. convert exploit.png -bilateral-blur output.png Example of a heap buffer over-read detection using AddressSanitizer If ImageMagick is compiled with ASan, the crash log would resemble: ==12345==ERROR: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow on address... READ of size 4 at 0x60400000ffff thread T0 0 in BilateralBlurImage in MagickCore/fx.c:...
Protection from this CVE:
Update ImageMagick to a patched version using your package manager For Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade imagemagick For RHEL/CentOS/Fedora: sudo yum update ImageMagick For SUSE Linux: sudo zypper patch --cve=CVE-2026-26284 If immediate patching is not possible, mitigate by avoiding the use of the -bilateral-blur operation on untrusted images. Example policy file update to disable vulnerable coders (if applicable): Edit /etc/ImageMagick-7/policy.xml and add: <policy domain="coder" rights="none" pattern="BILATERAL-BLUR" />
Impact:
Denial of Service: An unauthenticated attacker can crash the ImageMagick process by submitting a maliciously crafted image for processing .
Information Disclosure: The over-read could leak adjacent heap memory contents, potentially revealing sensitive data like cryptographic keys or user information if the application reuses memory buffers.
Application Instability: Any service relying on ImageMagick for image handling (e.g., web apps, email processors) becomes vulnerable to disruption.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
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