Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-25990

Memory Safety in Python Pillow 10.3.0 – 12.1.1

Published
11 February 2026
Modified
12 August 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 8.6
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
EPSS Score 0.0037 30th percentile
Risk Priority 37 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-25990 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Python Pillow. Its CVSS base score is 8.6 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 30th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

This vulnerability is AI-related — categorised as Computer Vision; in the Data-Related Vulnerabilities risk domain.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-15 (Development Process, Standards, and Tools) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2026-25990 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) in Pillow, a Python imaging library. It affects versions from 10.3.0 up to but not including 12.1.1 and can be triggered by loading a specially crafted PSD image. The issue carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H), reflecting high availability impact with no confidentiality or integrity effects.

Any remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability without privileges or user interaction by supplying a malicious PSD image to a vulnerable application using Pillow for image processing. Exploitation leads to an out-of-bounds write, typically resulting in denial-of-service via application crash or memory corruption.

Pillow version 12.1.1 resolves the vulnerability through a specific commit at https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/commit/9000313cc5d4a31bdcdd6d7f0781101abab553aa. Further details appear in the project's GitHub security advisory at https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/security/advisories/GHSA-cfh3-3jmp-rvhc and an oss-security mailing list post at http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/02/12/1. Mitigation requires updating to Pillow 12.1.1 or later.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 10.3.0 to before 12.1.1, an out-of-bounds write may be triggered when loading a specially crafted PSD image. This vulnerability is fixed in 12.1.1.

CWE(s)

AI Security AnalysisAI

AI Category
Computer Vision
Risk Domain
Data-Related Vulnerabilities
OWASP Top 10 for LLMs 2025
None mapped
Classification Reason
Matched keywords: pillow

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth
Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2020-0986Shared CWE-787
CVE-2023-44807Shared CWE-787
CVE-2023-33635Shared CWE-787
CVE-2021-30761Shared CWE-787
CVE-2025-47725Shared CWE-787
CVE-2023-23456Shared CWE-787
CVE-2024-20067Shared CWE-787
CVE-2024-11793Shared CWE-787
CVE-2024-20103Shared CWE-787
CVE-2023-24130Shared CWE-787

Affected Assets

python
pillow
10.3.0 — 12.1.1

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Developer testing and evaluation (including fuzzing and bounds checks) finds out-of-bounds write flaws before deployment.

Requiring documented secure-development standards and tools can mandate bounds-checked coding practices that avoid the weakness.

Input validation can structurally reject or sanitize data that would otherwise trigger an out-of-bounds write.

Memory-protection mechanisms limit the exploitability and blast radius of a successful out-of-bounds write.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure-development practices (static analysis, bounds checking, code review) are the primary means of preventing out-of-bounds writes.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover out-of-bounds write flaws so they can be remediated.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching or replacing vulnerable software directly eliminates known instances of this coding weakness.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect and prevent out-of-bounds write defects.

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates practices that prevent out-of-bounds writes.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory handling.

prevents

Secure architecture and engineering principles reduce the likelihood of buffer overflows.

prevents

Secure coding directly addresses out-of-bounds writes through language choice and coding standards.

prevents

Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.

References