CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-96637

Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Published: Oct 21, 2026 | Modified: Oct 27, 2026
CVSS 3.x
6.5
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
6.5 MODERATE
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Ubuntu
MEDIUM

Pillow is a Python imaging library. Prior to 13.0.0, SpiderImageFile.seek() in src/PIL/SpiderImagePlugin.py reparses a later SPIDER stack frame and replaces self._size without rerunning Image._decompression_bomb_check(). A tiny file can use a safe first frame to pass Image.open() and then declare very large dimensions in a later mode F frame. Loading that frame allocates approximately four bytes per attacker-declared pixel and can consume multiple gigabytes of memory. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Affected Software

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
PillowPython*13.0.0 (excluding)

Potential Mitigations

  • Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

  • The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

  • The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.

References