Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 9.1.0 until 13.0.0, BmpRleDecoder.decode() in src/PIL/BmpImagePlugin.py permits crafted RLE BMP delta escapes and absolute-mode runs to append beyond the remaining dest_length without a per-branch cap. A delta can add roughly 255 image rows in one iteration, so a kilobyte-sized file with a large but permitted width can expand the data bytearray to hundreds of megabytes or more, causing memory-exhaustion denial of service. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-24rc-8hj2-v98c Pillow: BMP RLE decoder memory-amplification DoS via unbounded delta escape / absolute mode
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-409
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Moderate


Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Python-pillow
Python-pillow pillow
Vendors & Products Python-pillow
Python-pillow pillow

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Pillow is a Python imaging library. From 9.1.0 until 13.0.0, BmpRleDecoder.decode() in src/PIL/BmpImagePlugin.py permits crafted RLE BMP delta escapes and absolute-mode runs to append beyond the remaining dest_length without a per-branch cap. A delta can add roughly 255 image rows in one iteration, so a kilobyte-sized file with a large but permitted width can expand the data bytearray to hundreds of megabytes or more, causing memory-exhaustion denial of service. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.
Title Pillow: BMP RLE decoder memory-amplification DoS via unbounded delta escape / absolute mode
Weaknesses CWE-400
CWE-770
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-21T20:47:21.767Z

Reserved: 2026-09-23T14:35:50.130Z

Link: CVE-2026-96638

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-10-21T21:20:32.067

Modified: 2026-10-22T16:46:48.920

Link: CVE-2026-96638

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-10-21T20:47:21Z

Links: CVE-2026-96638 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-22T15:45:08Z

Weaknesses