Use-After-Free in GIMP via Malicious XCF File

Publication date: 2026-10-19

Last updated on: 2026-10-19

Assigner: redhat-SADP

Description

A flaw was found in GIMP. Opening a crafted XCF that selects a path and then fails to load that path can cause a use-after-free in the main process, leading to a crash and potentially arbitrary code execution.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-10-19

Last Modified

2026-10-19

Generated

2026-10-20

AI Q&A

2026-10-20

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-112261

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
Red	Hat	Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 *
Red	Hat	Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-416	The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a use-after-free flaw in GIMP. It occurs when a crafted XCF file selects a path that fails to load, causing the program to improperly access freed memory in the main process. This can lead to a crash and potentially allow arbitrary code execution.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on your system, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further malware installation. Simply opening a malicious XCF file could trigger the issue.

Mitigation Strategies

Update GIMP to the latest patched version to address the use-after-free flaw in path handling. Avoid opening untrusted XCF files until the update is applied.

Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-112261. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.

0/70