Patch Forecast
Amber warning
Patch this week.

CVE-2026-112892 · GHSA-gg2r-wvfm-q9rx

Pillow: MSP RLE decoder expands a tiny file into unbounded memory

Risk score
66/100
CVSS
8.7 v4.0
Exploit chance (30 days)
0.3%
Published
19 Oct 2026

Open in the live forecast Today's forecast

What to know

What it is
Pillow's MSP RLE decoder can expand a small file into an unbounded in-memory buffer, allowing an attacker to exhaust memory and deny service.
Affected
{'products': ['Pillow'], 'packages': ['pillow'], 'versions': ['>= 4.1.0, < 13.0.0']}
Fix
Upgrade to version 13.0.0 or later
Exploitation
No known exploitation

Story map

Story map: PillowTHE FLAWSTHE FIXCVE-2026-112892Pillow: MSP RLE decoderexpands a tiny file intounbounded memoryCVSS 8.7 · EPSS 0%CVE-2026-112393Heap buffer overflow in_tiffWriteProc when savingTIFF to BytesIOCVSS 9.2 · EPSS 1%CVE-2026-96639Pillow multi-frame loaders canreuse stale native imagestorage after mode transitionsCVSS 9.8 · EPSS 1%CVE-2026-112900Argument Injection inGhostscript call, potentiallyleading into RCECVSS 9.2 · EPSS 0%Upgrade Pillow13.0.0or later on your release lineWho is exposed{'products': ['Pillow'],'packages': ['Pillow'], 'versions':['>= 2.0.0, < 13.0.0']}AMBER · PATCH THIS WEEKPillowPillow has a heap bufferoverflow and stale-heapdisclosure in _tiffWriteProcwhen saving compressed TIFFdata through libtiff to a targetwithout a usable fileno(). Thiscan crash the process and may…Where it standsPublic proof of concept1 outlet covering itHOW IT UNFOLDEDOfficial record on the left, the press on the right, oldest first.23 Oct · The Hacker NewsCritical Flaw in Python’s Popular Pillow ImageLibrary Allows Code Execution via a Crafted ImageCONNECTS TOSame weaknessCWE-409 (CWE-409)35 other warnings in 30 days →
Story map: the flaws, the fix, how it unfolded and what it connects to. Boxes link to the record or article.

At a glance

Pillow: Amber, patch this week. Pillow has a heap buffer overflow and stale-heap disclosure in _tiffWriteProc when saving compressed TIFF data through libtiff to a target without a usable fileno(). This can crash the process and may allow code execution.

The flaws

  • CVE-2026-112892: Pillow: MSP RLE decoder expands a tiny file into unbounded memory (CVSS 8.7 · EPSS 0%)
  • CVE-2026-112393: Heap buffer overflow in _tiffWriteProc when saving TIFF to BytesIO (CVSS 9.2 · EPSS 1%)
  • CVE-2026-96639: Pillow multi-frame loaders can reuse stale native image storage after mode transitions (CVSS 9.8 · EPSS 1%)
  • CVE-2026-112900: Argument Injection in Ghostscript call, potentially leading into RCE (CVSS 9.2 · EPSS 0%)

The fix

Upgrade Pillow: 13.0.0 or later on your release line

Who is exposed: {'products': ['Pillow'], 'packages': ['Pillow'], 'versions': ['>= 2.0.0, < 13.0.0']}

Where it stands

  • Public proof of concept
  • 1 outlet covering it

How it unfolded

  1. 23 Oct, The Hacker News (press): Critical Flaw in Python’s Popular Pillow Image Library Allows Code Execution via a Crafted Image

Connects to

Why it is Amber

  • CVSS 8.7 high
  • Remotely exploitable without logging in
  • On your watchlist: PyPI

Affected packages

PackageEcosystemVulnerableFixed in
pillowpip>= 4.1.0, < 13.0.013.0.0

References

Original description

Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 4.1.0 until 13.0.0, Pillow's MSP RLE decoder can expand a small file into an unbounded in-memory buffer. The decoder writes run-length output to BytesIO without limiting expansion to the declared image size. An attacker can supply a crafted MSP image to an application that loads its pixels. This can exhaust memory and deny service even when the declared pixel count passes the decompression-bomb check. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

Last activity 19 Oct 2026. Patch Forecast updates every hour.