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CVE Record

CVE-2026-25965: ImageMagick's policy bypass through path traversal allows reading restricted content despite secured policy

ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, ImageMagick’s path security policy is enforced on the raw filename string before the filesystem resolves it. As a result, a policy rule such as /etc/* can be bypassed by a path traversal. The OS resolves the traversal and opens the sensitive file, but the policy matcher only sees the unnormalized path and therefore allows the read. This enables local file disclosure (LFI) even when policy-secure.xml is applied. Actions to prevent reading from files have been taken in versions .7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40 But it make sure writing is also not possible the following should be added to one's policy. This will also be included in ImageMagick's more secure policies by default.

HighCVSS 8.6Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

ImageMagick could read files that administrators intended to block. The flaw is in how path policies checked a filename before the operating system resolved path traversal. A remote, unauthenticated workflow that processes attacker-controlled image inputs could expose sensitive local files if affected versions are used.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or customer-facing image processing services. The issue can expose sensitive files and has a high CVSS score, but provided sources do not confirm active exploitation.

Technical view

Before 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, ImageMagick policy matching evaluated the raw path string. Traversal sequences could evade rules such as restricted path patterns, then resolve to protected files at open time. The impact is local file disclosure, not integrity or availability loss per the supplied CVSS vector.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where ImageMagick processes untrusted images, filenames, or conversion requests and depends on policy-secure.xml or path policies to prevent local file reads.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated exploitation without user interaction when an exposed processing path exists.

Researcher notes

The core weakness is CWE-22 path traversal caused by policy evaluation before canonical filesystem resolution. Sources identify LFI despite policy-secure.xml. Exact supplemental policy text is not included in the supplied bundle, so researchers should consult vendor advisory details.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade ImageMagick 7.x to 7.1.2-15 or later.
  • Upgrade ImageMagick 6.x to 6.9.13-40 or later.
  • Apply Red Hat fixed packages where using affected Red Hat builds.
  • Review vendor guidance for the additional write-prevention policy change.
  • Limit untrusted image processing until affected deployments are patched.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory ImageMagick versions across hosts, containers, and application images.
  • Check whether versions fall below 7.1.2-15 or 6.9.13-40.
  • Identify services that process attacker-supplied images or paths.
  • Review ImageMagick policy files for reliance on path restrictions.
  • Confirm vendor advisories or package errata are applied.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

CWE-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup

File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. 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.

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description · low confidence lookup

File access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-25965 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8.6 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

Official CVE source material

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.

2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
6Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: yesTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
8.6CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N3.94GitHub_M
8.6CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N3.94redhat-SADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

8.6High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-25965Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  3. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  4. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPImageMagick: ImageMagick: Local File Disclosure via Path Traversal
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-02-24T02:02:18.697Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-02-24T01:20:44.175Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
ImageMagickImageMagick>= 7.0.0, < 7.1.2-15, < 6.9.13-40Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-22

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.