CVE-2026-96778: Pillow: Heap buffer overflow writing JPEG comment after ICC profile fills buffer
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 30/100)
- Public proof-of-concept code exists (GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.45% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: python-pillow Pillow 13.0.0.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to python-pillow Pillow 13.0.0 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 9.4.0 until 13.0.0, ImagingJpegEncode() in src/libImaging/JpegEncode.c can call jpeg_write_marker() for a JPEG COM comment when an ICC profile has exactly filled the 65536-byte encoder buffer. libjpeg writes one byte before checking the exhausted free_in_buffer counter, which then wraps and permits the attacker-controlled comment and subsequent compressed image data to overwrite adjacent heap memory. Re-saving an untrusted image as JPEG while preserving its ICC profile and forwarded comment can crash the process and may enable code execution in suitable runtime and heap layouts. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.
- Published
- Oct 21, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 28, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 39th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-787
Report tools
Action score
30
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.7 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 7.7
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| python | pillow | cpe:2.3:a:python:pillow |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- python pillow9.4.0 and later · before 13.0.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
python-pillow Pillow
- >= 9.4.0, < 13.0.0affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | pillow | from 0 | — |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | python-Pillow | before 13.0.0-2.1 | 13.0.0-2.1 |
| PyPI | pillow | from 9.4.0 · before 13.0.0 | 13.0.0 |
Same product
python: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2014-3007Python Image Library (PIL) 1.1.7 and earlier and Pillow 2.3 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell…43Plan
- CVE-2016-4009Integer overflow in the ImagingResampleHorizontal function in libImaging/Resample.c in Pillow before 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to have…41Plan
- CVE-2022-30595libImaging/TgaRleDecode.c in Pillow 9.1.0 has a heap buffer overflow in the processing of invalid TGA image files.40Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-96643Oct 21, 2026 · Pillow: PNG eXIf chunk makes EXIF parsing run in quadratic time28Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-96644Oct 21, 2026 · Pillow: Heap over-read in WMF/EMF rendering via 16-bit dimension truncation (Windows builds)28Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-114501Oct 21, 2026 · Pillow: Arrow export leaks stale heap memory when PILLOW_ALIGNMENT > 125Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| python-pillow Pillow | 13.0.0 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
| opensuse:python-Pillow | 13.0.0-2.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| PyPI:pillow | 13.0.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2026-10-28 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- Fix recordedsame day
- First PoC+6 d
- TodayNov 11, 2026+21 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2026-1123972 days apartPillow: Out-of-bounds access in _imagingmorph on a zero-width image34Monitor
- CVE-2026-25990252 days apartPillow has an out-of-bounds write when loading PSD images34Monitor
- CVE-2026-5920599 days apartPillow: Controlled heap out-of-bounds write in `ImageCmsTransform.apply()` via output mode mismatch30Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- P
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-787 · Out-of-bounds WriteCVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/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
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Exploit maturitynone → poc
- SSVC exploitation— → none
- Exploit maturity— → none
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (3 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.