Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2025-48796 is a high-severity GIMP flaw in ANI image handling. A malicious .ANI file opened in GIMP can overflow stack memory and may allow arbitrary code execution. Business risk is concentrated where users can receive and open untrusted image files on affected systems.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted desktop application risk, not an internet-facing emergency. Prioritize affected RHEL 9 endpoints used for image handling, especially users receiving external files. Move quickly once vendor remediation is confirmed.
Technical view
The issue is a CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow in GIMP's ani_load_image() path for .ANI files, associated with file-ico handling. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.3 with local attack vector, low complexity, required user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Source data lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 gimp as affected. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and 8 are listed unaffected, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 status is unknown. Exposure depends on installed GIMP packages and workflows handling .ANI files.
Exploitation context
No provided source or KEV listing supports active exploitation. The practical scenario is social or workflow-driven delivery of a malicious ANI file that a user opens in GIMP. Evidence does not support network-only exploitation or exploitation without user interaction.
Researcher notes
The bundle provides affected status and impact but not detailed fixed versions or exploit evidence. Avoid assuming broader GIMP version exposure beyond cited sources. Validation should focus on installed packages, file-opening workflows, and vendor advisory updates.
Mitigation direction
- Check Red Hat and GIMP guidance for corrected packages or official mitigations.
- Prioritize remediation on RHEL 9 systems with GIMP installed.
- Restrict opening untrusted .ANI files until vendor guidance is applied.
- Remove GIMP from systems where it is not operationally required.
- Use email and endpoint controls to reduce delivery of untrusted ANI files.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems with GIMP installed, especially Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.
- Confirm product status against Red Hat CVE guidance and GIMP issue references.
- Identify users or workflows that open external .ANI files in GIMP.
- Verify whether vendor patches or mitigations have been applied.
- Monitor KEV and vendor advisories for exploitation or remediation updates.
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-121: 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 lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-48796 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
- High
- CVSS
- 7.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
SSVC decision data
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:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.35.9redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.3HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-48796CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2368559CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/issues/9257CVE reference, redhat
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.
Stack-based Buffer Overflow
Stack-based Buffer Overflow represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.