CVE-2026-96638
Pillow: BMP RLE decoder memory-amplification DoS via unbounded delta escape / absolute mode
No known exploitation. EPSS puts it in the 28th percentile. A vendor fix is available.
No public exploit knownFixVendor fixNo build named by the sources
e.g. OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.25623.1.1.18.1.2026.12251.1
What to do
The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.
- python-pillow PillowAffected: >= 9.1.0, < 13.0.0Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in
What it is
From the CVE record
Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 9.1.0 until 13.0.0, BmpRleDecoder.decode() in src/PIL/BmpImagePlugin.py permits crafted RLE BMP delta escapes and absolute-mode runs to append beyond the remaining dest_length without a per-branch cap. A delta can add roughly 255 image rows in one iteration, so a kilobyte-sized file with a large but permitted width can expand the data bytearray to hundreds of megabytes or more, causing memory-exhaustion denial of service. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.
In plain language
No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- CISA KEV
Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.
- Public exploits
No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.
- EPSS
0.3% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 28th percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
Lifecycle
10 events over 19 days, from the signal feeds we watch.
- OpenVAS check added
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Record updated
- Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped, record updated
Affected products
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Scored 6.5 by NVD.
How it is reached
- Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
- Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
- Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
- User Interaction RequiredA user must click a link, open a file, or perform some action
Scope
- Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself
Impact if exploited
- Confidentiality NoneNo confidentiality impact
- Integrity NoneNo integrity impact
- Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
Sources
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