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TI-2026-78996 Aliases CVE-2026-96643GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h

Pillow PNG eXIf chunk makes EXIF parsing run in quadratic time

Priority LOW 37CWE-407Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Passive
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 8 fixed, 9 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-407.

Summary

Pillow from 11.0.0 before 13.0.0 is affected. Exif parsing repeatedly copies the remaining EXIF data while it starts with the Exif header, and the PNG eXIf chunk is accepted without a size cap, which leads to quadratic CPU work (CWE-407). A remote attacker needs no privileges, but a user must process a crafted PNG file for the EXIF data to be parsed, such as during photo upload rotation, so the service consumes excessive CPU.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 11.0.0 until 13.0.0, Exif.load() in src/PIL/Image.py repeatedly slices the remaining EXIF data while it begins with the six-byte Exif header. src/PIL/PngImagePlugin.py accepts an uncapped PNG eXIf chunk, so a file filled with repeated headers causes a new shrinking copy on every iteration and quadratic CPU work. The condition is reachable through Image.getexif(), Image._getexif(), and ImageOps.exif_transpose(), including common photo-upload rotation workflows. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00373 31st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Pillow (python-pillow): 13.0.0Pillow (PyPI): 13.0.0Red Hat: 12 advisoriesRed Hat: 8 fixed, 9 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
python-pillowPillow11.0.0 to before 13.0.013.0.0Patch availableCNA
—Pillow (PyPI)11.0.0 to before 13.0.013.0.0Patch availableGHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  • Pillow Vendorpython-pillow Affected 11.0.0 to before 13.0.0 Fixed in 13.0.0 Patch available CNA
  • Pillow (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 11.0.0 to before 13.0.0 Fixed in 13.0.0 Patch available GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:python:pillow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.0.0 to before 13.0.0Vulnerablepython-pillow
  • cpe:2.3:a:python:pillow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0.0 to before 13.0.0 Vulnerable ·python-pillow

Remediation

Upgrade Pillow to version 13.0.0. Red Hat fixes are in RHSA-2026:94738, RHSA-2026:94721, RHSA-2026:94717, RHSA-2026:94715, RHSA-2026:94709, RHSA-2026:94702, RHSA-2026:94631, RHSA-2026:92510, RHSA-2026:95655, RHSA-2026:95656, RHSA-2026:95657 and RHSA-2026:92861. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI), Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3 and Red Hat Quay 3.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

  • Fix · CNA Pillow (python-pillow) Fixed in 13.0.0
  • Fix · GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h Pillow (PyPI) Fixed in 13.0.0 Advisory →

Red Hat 12 advisories

  • RHSA-2026:95655 Released 2026-11-05 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Satellite 6.16 EUS security update
    • Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 8 openvox-agent-8.32.0-1.el8sat, openvox-server-8.18.0-1.el8sat, python-brotli-1.2.1-1.el8pc +11
    • Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 9 openvox-agent-8.32.0-1.el9sat, openvox-server-8.18.0-1.el9sat, python-brotli-1.2.1-1.el9pc +11
  • RHSA-2026:95657 Released 2026-11-05 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Satellite 6.18 security update
    • Red Hat Satellite 6.18 for RHEL 9 openvox-agent-8.32.0-1.el9sat, openvox-server-8.18.0-1.el9sat, python3.12-brotli-1.2.1-1.el9pc +4
  • RHSA-2026:95656 Released 2026-11-05 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Satellite 6.17 security update
    • Red Hat Satellite 6.17 for RHEL 9 openvox-agent-8.32.0-1.el9sat, openvox-server-8.18.0-1.el9sat, python-brotli-1.2.1-1.el9pc +9
Show 9 more Red Hat advisories
  • RHSA-2026:94738 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference 3.5.3 (CUDA)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/vllm-cuda-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94721 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference Tech Preview 3.5.3 (Gaudi)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/vllm-gaudi-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94717 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference 3.5.3 (Spyre)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/vllm-spyre-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94715 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference Model Optimization Tools 3.5.3 (CUDA)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/model-opt-cuda-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94709 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference 3.5.3 (ROCm)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/vllm-rocm-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94702 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat AI Inference 3.5.3 (CPU)
    • Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhaii/vllm-cpu-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:94631 Released 2026-11-03 · Red Hat rating Critical
    GuideLLM 3.5.1
    • Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.5 registry.redhat.io/rhai/guidellm-rhel9
  • RHSA-2026:92861 Released 2026-10-29 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Satellite 6.19 security update
    • Red Hat Satellite 6.19 for RHEL 9 openvox-agent-8.31.1-1.el9sat, openvox-server-8.17.0-1.el9sat, python3.12-brotli-1.2.1-1.el9pc +6
  • RHSA-2026:92510 Released 2026-10-29 · Red Hat rating Critical
    RHOAI 3.4.6 - Red Hat OpenShift AI
    • Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.4 registry.redhat.io/rhoai/odh-built-in-detector-rhel9, registry.redhat.io/rhoai/odh-cli-rhel9, registry.redhat.io/rhoai/odh-dashboard-rhel9 +47

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Exploit IntelligenceAffectedNo fix yet
Lightspeed CoreAffectedNo fix yet
OpenShift LightspeedAffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat AI Inference ServerAffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Lightspeed Services for OCPAffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Quay 3AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5Fixed RHSA-2026:94702, RHSA-2026:94709, RHSA-2026:94715, RHSA-2026:94717, RHSA-2026:94721, RHSA-2026:94738
Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.4Fixed RHSA-2026:92510
Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.5Fixed RHSA-2026:94631
Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 8Fixed RHSA-2026:95655
Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 9Fixed RHSA-2026:95655
Red Hat Satellite 6.17 for RHEL 9Fixed RHSA-2026:95656
Red Hat Satellite 6.18 for RHEL 9Fixed RHSA-2026:95657
Red Hat Satellite 6.19 for RHEL 9Fixed RHSA-2026:92861
Not affected: 9 products
  • Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)
  • Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.4
  • Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 8
  • Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 9
  • Red Hat Satellite 6.17 for RHEL 9
  • Red Hat Satellite 6.18 for RHEL 9
  • Red Hat Satellite 6.19 for RHEL 9

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-21 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-96643
  2. 2026-10-22 Alias added: GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  3. 2026-10-22 Fix available: PyPI/[email protected] · GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  4. 2026-10-22 CVSS score added · GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  5. 2026-10-22 Weakness changed · GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  6. 2026-10-22 6 new references · GHSA-g4qv-2jxx-769h
  7. 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  8. 2026-10-23 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  9. 2026-10-23 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  10. 2026-10-24 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  11. 2026-10-27 CVSS score added · NVD
  12. 2026-10-30 Fix available: RHSA-2026:92510 · Red Hat
  13. 2026-10-30 Fix available: Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.4 · Red Hat
  14. 2026-10-30 Fix available: Red Hat Satellite 6.19 for RHEL 9 · Red Hat
  15. 2026-10-31 Fix available: RHSA-2026:92861 · Red Hat
  16. 2026-11-04 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  17. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94717 · Red Hat
  18. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94715 · Red Hat
  19. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94709 · Red Hat
  20. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94738 · Red Hat
  21. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94702 · Red Hat
  22. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94631 · Red Hat
  23. 2026-11-04 Fix available: RHSA-2026:94721 · Red Hat
  24. 2026-11-04 Fix available: Red Hat AI Inference Server 3.5, Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.5 · Red Hat
  25. 2026-11-06 Fix available: Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 8, Red Hat Satellite 6.16 for RHEL 9, Red Hat Satellite 6.17 for RHEL 9 +1 · Red Hat
  26. 2026-11-06 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95656 · Red Hat
  27. 2026-11-06 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95655 · Red Hat
  28. 2026-11-06 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95657 · Red Hat

References

Patch 1

Advisory 2

Other 3

  • TI-2026-76627 Out-of-bounds read in Pillow TIFF encoder ColorMap handling CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2026-76625 Quadratic-time denial of service in Pillow PDF save_all CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-76605 NULL pointer dereference in Pillow's Image.merge function CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-76604 Out-of-bounds read in Pillow TIFF decoding leaks heap memory CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2026-76602 Double free in Pillow ImagingScaleAffine on allocation failure CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-76600 GIF seek in Pillow keeps rejected size, allowing denial of service CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
See all 110 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences