CVE-2026-2049
Description
A flaw was found in GIMP. This heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability, located in the HDR file parsing component, allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. User interaction is required for exploitation, as the target must open a malicious HDR file. The flaw occurs due to a lack of proper validation of user-supplied data length before it is copied to a heap-based buffer.
Statement
This is an Important vulnerability in GIMP, as a heap-based buffer overflow in the HDR file parsing component can lead to remote code execution. While exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious HDR file, successful attacks could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the affected user. This risk is primarily present on desktop systems where GIMP is installed and used to process untrusted image files.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, users should avoid opening HDR files from untrusted or suspicious sources. If GIMP is not required, consider removing the `gimp` package to eliminate the attack surface. This can be achieved with `sudo dnf remove gimp`. Be aware that removing GIMP may impact other dependent graphical applications.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.8 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Availability,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
If the incorrect calculation is used in the context of memory allocation, then the software may create a buffer that is smaller or larger than expected. If the allocated buffer is smaller than expected, this could lead to an out-of-bounds read or write (CWE-119), possibly causing a crash, allowing arbitrary code execution, or exposing sensitive data.
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