Patch Forecast
Yellow warning
Plan into this sprint.

CVE-2026-96642 · GHSA-3j72-p6qg-6xp7

Pillow: TarIO negative size field causes infinite CPU-spin loop

Risk score
58/100
CVSS
7.1 v4.0
Exploit chance (30 days)
0.3%
Published
21 Oct 2026

Open in the live forecast Today's forecast

What to know

What it is
Pillow is a Python imaging library. Prior to 13.0.0, the TarIO initializer in src/PIL/TarIO.py accepts a negative octal member size and computes a backward seek that returns to the same 512-byte header. When the requested member name does not match, the parser repeatedly reads that header, consumes a full CPU core, an…
Affected
Pillow (pip) < 13.0.0
Fix
Upgrade Pillow to 13.0.0 or later.
Exploitation
No known exploitation

Story map

Story map: PillowTHE FLAWSTHE FIXCVE-2026-96642TarIO negative size fieldcauses infinite CPU-spin loopCVSS 7.1 · 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-835 (CWE-835)53 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-2026-96642: TarIO negative size field causes infinite CPU-spin loop (CVSS 7.1 · 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 Yellow

  • CVSS 7.1 high
  • Remotely exploitable without logging in
  • On your watchlist: PyPI

Affected packages

PackageEcosystemVulnerableFixed in
Pillowpip< 13.0.013.0.0

References

Original description

Pillow is a Python imaging library. Prior to 13.0.0, the TarIO initializer in src/PIL/TarIO.py accepts a negative octal member size and computes a backward seek that returns to the same 512-byte header. When the requested member name does not match, the parser repeatedly reads that header, consumes a full CPU core, and never returns. TarIO is reached only when an application directly uses PIL.TarIO.TarIO rather than the default Image.open() path. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

Last activity 21 Oct 2026. Patch Forecast updates every hour.