Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-25983 affects ImageMagick, a widely used image-processing library and toolset. A specially crafted MSL script can trigger a memory safety flaw that may crash processing. The public record rates this medium severity because the documented impact is limited to availability, not data theft or code execution.
Executive priority
Handle through normal vulnerability management, with faster action for public upload services and automated media pipelines. The documented impact is service disruption rather than confirmed data compromise. Patch availability makes remediation straightforward where ownership and packaging are clear.
Technical view
Before ImageMagick 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, crafted MSL input can cause a heap use-after-free in MSLStartElement in coders/msl.c. The operation element handler frees or replaces the image while parsing continues, leading to use-after-free in ReadBlobString. CVSS is 5.3: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges or user interaction, low availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant where ImageMagick processes untrusted or user-supplied files, especially MSL content or workflows that permit ImageMagick coders. Systems not using ImageMagick, or already on 7.1.2-15, 6.9.13-40, or later, are not indicated as affected by the provided sources.
Exploitation context
The sources describe a crafted MSL script causing heap use-after-free and availability impact. The CVE is not listed as KEV in the provided bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation. Treat internet-facing or automated file-processing services as higher priority because malformed input could be submitted remotely.
Researcher notes
The provided data supports CWE-416 heap use-after-free in the MSL coder path. Impact is recorded as low availability only. No public exploit status, crash proof details, or broader impact are provided in the bundle, so do not assume code execution or active exploitation without additional evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade ImageMagick 7.x to 7.1.2-15 or later.
- Upgrade ImageMagick 6.x to 6.9.13-40 or later.
- Prioritize systems that process untrusted uploaded or externally supplied images/files.
- If immediate upgrade is not possible, check ImageMagick vendor guidance for supported workarounds.
Validation and detection
- Inventory ImageMagick installations across servers, containers, CI images, and application dependencies.
- Confirm installed versions are not below 7.1.2-15 or 6.9.13-40.
- Identify workflows that accept untrusted files and invoke ImageMagick processing.
- Review application logs for abnormal ImageMagick crashes after processing external 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-416: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-25983 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
- 5.3 (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:L
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:L3.91.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-fwqw-2x5x-w566CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
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.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.