CVE-2026-116159
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in ImageMagick via -cdl Option

Publication date: 2026-10-25

Last updated on: 2026-10-25

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
ImageMagick before 6.9.13-58 and 7.x before 7.1.2-33 contains a memory leak in the handling of the -cdl (color decision list) option, where allocated memory is not cleaned up after use. Attackers can supply input that causes the -cdl option to be processed, repeatedly leaking memory and degrading availability through resource exhaustion.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-10-25
Last Modified
2026-10-25
Generated
2026-10-25
AI Q&A
2026-10-25
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-116159
EUVD
EUVD-2026-109420

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
ImageMagick ImageMagick 7.0.0-0
ImageMagick ImageMagick 0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-401 The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a memory leak in ImageMagick versions before 6.9.13-58 and 7.x before 7.1.2-33. When the -cdl (color decision list) option is processed, allocated memory is not released, causing repeated leaks. Attackers can trigger this by supplying input that uses the -cdl option, leading to memory exhaustion and reduced system availability.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check the installed version of ImageMagick using the command: convert --version or identify --version. If the version is below 6.9.13-58 or 7.1.2-33, the system is vulnerable. Monitor memory usage during ImageMagick operations, especially when using the -cdl option, for unusual increases.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can degrade system performance by consuming memory resources over time. It may lead to crashes or slowdowns due to resource exhaustion. Attackers could exploit it to make systems unstable, though it requires user interaction to trigger the -cdl option.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update ImageMagick to version 6.9.13-58 or later for the 6.x branch, or 7.1.2-33 or later for the 7.x branch. If updating is not possible, disable the -cdl option in ImageMagick configurations or scripts to prevent memory leaks. Restrict access to ImageMagick commands to trusted users only.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-116159. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart