CVE-2026-59205
Pillow is a Python imaging library
- Risk score
- 77/100
- CVSS
- 7.5 v3.1
- Exploit chance (30 days)
- 0.4%
- Published
- 14 Jul 2026
Open in the live forecast Today's forecast
What to know
- What it is
- Pillow's ImageCms.ImageCmsTransform.apply API can trigger controlled native heap corruption when the output image mode does not match the transform's declared output mode. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution.
- Affected
- {'product': 'pillow', 'affected_versions': 'prior to 12.3.0'}
- Fix
- Upgrade to version 12.3.0 or later
- Exploitation
- Public proof of concept
Story map
At a glance
Pillow: Red, act today. Pillow has a vulnerability in its Ghostscript call, allowing argument injection, which could lead to remote code execution. An attacker could inject Ghostscript arguments by controlling the filename.
The flaws
- CVE-2026-59205: Pillow is a Python imaging library (CVSS 7.5 · EPSS 0%)
- CVE-2026-112900: Argument Injection in Ghostscript call, potentially leading into RCE (CVSS 9.8 · EPSS 1%)
- CVE-2026-112393: Heap buffer overflow in _tiffWriteProc when saving TIFF to BytesIO (CVSS 9.8 · EPSS 1%)
- CVE-2026-112403: Heap buffer overflow in ImagingJpegDecode (CVSS 9.8 · EPSS 1%)
The fix
Upgrade Pillow: 12.3.0 · 13.0.0 or later on your release line
Who is exposed: {'products': ['Pillow'], 'packages': ['Pillow'], 'versions': ['>= 2.6.0, < 13.0.0']}
Where it stands
- Public proof of concept
- 1 outlet covering it
How it unfolded
- 23 Oct, The Hacker News (press): Critical Flaw in Python’s Popular Pillow Image Library Allows Code Execution via a Crafted Image
- 4 Nov, Ubuntu security notices (official): USN-8999-1: Pillow vulnerabilities
Connects to
- Same weakness: Out-of-bounds write (CWE-787). 399 other warnings in 30 days
- Same product: Earlier Pillow warnings. 45 in the last 90 days
Why it is Amber
- CVSS 7.5 high
- Public exploit or proof of concept referenced
- Remotely exploitable without logging in
- On your watchlist: python
- Named in a government or vendor bulletin
Government and vendor bulletins
References
- https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8999-1
- https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/commit/a9ffc42bedf4fc0a7ef8d6486e7f9e81e3397721
- https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/pull/9715
- https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/releases/tag/12.3.0
- https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/security/advisories/GHSA-9hw9-ch79-4vh6
- https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/security/advisories/GHSA-9hw9-ch79-4vh6
Original description
Pillow is a Python imaging library. Prior to 12.3.0, Pillow's ImageCms.ImageCmsTransform.apply(im, imOut) API can trigger controlled native heap corruption when the caller supplies an output image whose mode does not match the transform's declared output mode. This issue is fixed in version 12.3.0.
Last activity 4 Nov 2026. Patch Forecast updates every hour.