Critical severity · published Oct 21, 2026
CVE-2026-96639
Pillow multi-frame loaders can reuse stale native image storage after mode transitions
New
9.8
CVSS
0.7%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 11.0.0 until 13.0.0, multi-frame loaders can retain an ImagingCore allocation created for a narrow frame mode while a later frame of the same dimensions changes the logical mode and decoder tiles to wider RGB or CMYK data. ImageFile.load_prepare() reuses the stale native storage because _im is non-null without verifying that its mode and size still match. Crafted PSD, MPO, DCX, or MIC frame transitions can then write wider pixels into the narrow allocation, causing native out-of-bounds writes and crashes. The MPO path can also cause a native over-read and, in demonstrated runtime-specific profiles, command execution. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.7% · higher than 52% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
PI
Pillow · python-pillow
>= 11.0.0, < 13.0.0 · source: vendor, NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96639
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96639
Patch
https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/commit/78d97d994579aef81aafe123773d525f40f2522a
Issue Tracking
https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/pull/10105
Release Notes
https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/releases/tag/13.0.0
Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/security/advisories/GHSA-v9pv-5gc8-w2m6
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