Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Some ImageMagick installations could fail to enforce a policy intended to block PostScript handling. Organizations relying on the affected `module` policy may have believed PostScript was disabled when it was not. The issue is moderate because the published CVSS requires local privileges and indicates limited confidentiality and integrity impact.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation during normal vulnerability management, with higher urgency for systems processing untrusted files. The issue is not evidenced as actively exploited, but misconfigured policy controls can undermine security assumptions around document handling.
Technical view
CVE-2021-39212 is a CWE-668 policy-enforcement issue in ImageMagick. Affected 7.x versions before 7.1.0-7 and 6.x versions before 6.9.12-22 could still read or write PostScript files when PS was excluded through `policy.xml` using the `module` policy domain. ImageMagick recommends the `coder` policy as the workaround.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where affected ImageMagick versions are installed and administrators used `policy.xml` `module` rules to block PostScript. The advisory says few users used this policy style, so broad exposure is not proven by the supplied sources.
Exploitation context
The supplied sources do not state active exploitation, and KEV is false. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, with low confidentiality and integrity impact and no availability impact.
Researcher notes
Focus analysis on policy behavior, not generic ImageMagick exposure. The key condition is reliance on the `module` policy to exclude PostScript. The advisory names fixed versions and a `coder` policy workaround; sources do not provide evidence of active exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade ImageMagick to 7.1.0-7, 6.9.12-22, or later.
- Apply vendor or distribution security updates for packaged ImageMagick builds.
- Use the recommended `coder` policy to deny PS and related formats.
- Review `policy.xml` for reliance on `module` PS exclusions.
- Check Debian LTS guidance if using affected Debian packages.
Validation and detection
- Inventory ImageMagick versions across servers, containers, and build images.
- Inspect `policy.xml` for `module` rules blocking PS.
- Confirm `coder` policy denies PS, EPI, EPS, EPSF, and EPSI.
- Verify package versions include the upstream or distribution security fix.
- Document any applications that process user-supplied image or document files.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-668: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-39212 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N1.82.5Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-qvhr-jj4p-j2qrCVE reference
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/commit/01faddbe2711a4156180c4a92837e2f23683cc68CVE reference
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/commit/35893e7cad78ce461fcaffa56076c11700ba5e4eCVE reference
- [debian-lts-announce] 20230521 [SECURITY] [DLA 3429-1] imagemagick security updateCVE reference · mailing-list
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.