CVE-2026-18307
Received Received - Intake

Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GIMP via TIF File Parsing

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-18307, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-08-20

Last updated on: 2026-08-20

Assigner: Zero Day Initiative

Description

GIMP TIF File Parsing Heap-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GIMP. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of TIF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-29404.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-20
Last Modified
2026-08-20
Generated
2026-08-20
AI Q&A
2026-08-20
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
gnome gimp *
gnome gimp From 2.10.0 (inc) to 2.10.30 (inc)
gnome gimp From 2.10.0 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-122 A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc().

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

This is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in GIMP that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. It occurs when parsing TIF files due to insufficient validation of user-supplied data length before copying it to a heap-based buffer. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious file or visiting a malicious page.

Detection Guidance

Detection involves monitoring for suspicious TIF file processing or unexpected GIMP behavior. Check GIMP logs for crashes during TIF file parsing. Use network monitoring tools to detect unusual outbound connections initiated by GIMP after processing files.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to run malicious code on your system with the same privileges as the GIMP application. This could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or system compromise. Since user interaction is required, the risk is higher if you frequently open files from untrusted sources.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exfiltration, which may violate GDPR or HIPAA requirements for data protection and confidentiality. Organizations using GIMP to process sensitive data could face compliance violations if the vulnerability is exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update GIMP to the latest patched version. Avoid opening TIF files from untrusted sources. Disable automatic TIF file association with GIMP if possible. Monitor vendor advisories for further updates.

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