Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-24485 can make ImageMagick hang when it processes a malformed PCD image. An attacker could cause services that accept or automatically process images to consume CPU and become unavailable. The issue is fixed in ImageMagick 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or customer-upload image processing. This is an availability risk, not a data theft issue, but it can disrupt dependent applications if image processing runs in shared service infrastructure.
Technical view
Before ImageMagick 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, DecodeImage() can enter an infinite loop while searching for a missing or invalid PCD Sync marker. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.5, reflecting network-reachable, unauthenticated denial of service with high availability impact and no confidentiality or integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Highest exposure is in web applications, media pipelines, document converters, and background jobs that process user-supplied or untrusted images with ImageMagick, especially where PCD files are accepted or format detection is automatic.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show known active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. Exploitation requires causing a vulnerable ImageMagick instance to parse a crafted PCD file lacking a valid Sync marker, resulting in CPU exhaustion and denial of service.
Researcher notes
The public description attributes the bug to missing Sync marker handling in PCD parsing, causing DecodeImage() to loop indefinitely. The supplied commit is the relevant code change. Avoid assuming broader product impact beyond ImageMagick unless a vendor confirms bundled vulnerable versions.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade ImageMagick to 7.1.2-15 or 6.9.13-40 or later.
- Check vendor guidance for packaged operating system or container updates.
- Restrict or disable PCD processing where it is not required.
- Apply resource limits to image-processing workers to reduce denial-of-service impact.
- Review downstream wrappers or applications that bundle or invoke ImageMagick.
Validation and detection
- Inventory ImageMagick versions on servers, containers, and build images.
- Confirm production versions are 7.1.2-15, 6.9.13-40, or later.
- Identify applications accepting untrusted image uploads or automated image conversion.
- Check whether PCD input is enabled, accepted, or auto-detected.
- Monitor image-processing services for sustained CPU spikes and worker hangs.
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
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-24485 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.
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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-pqgj-2p96-rx85CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/commit/332c1566acc2de77857032d3c2504ead6210ff50CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/dlemstra/Magick.NET/releases/tag/14.10.3CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.