CVE-2026-18309

A flaw was found in GIMP. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GIMP. This occurs due to an integer overflow during the parsing of APNG (Animated Portable Network Graphics) files, caused by a lack of proper validation of user-supplied data before allocating a buffer. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious file.

This vulnerability is rated as Important because successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the running application, even though user interaction is required. On Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems, GIMP is typically deployed on workstations and graphical desktops rather than default headless servers. The risk is constrained to scenarios where users are coerced into opening untrusted, maliciously crafted APNG files.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

To mitigate this issue, users should exercise caution and avoid opening APNG image files from untrusted or suspicious sources. Additionally, running GIMP within a sandboxed environment, such as a Flatpak, can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting access to system resources.