High-Severity Use-After-Free Flaw in python-pillow Pillow Tracked as CVE-2026-112402

A high use-after-free tracked as CVE-2026-112402 has been published in the National Vulnerability Database for python-pillow Pillow, with a CVSS base score of 8.7.

At a glance

CVE

CVE-2026-112402

Product

python-pillow Pillow

CVSS

8.7 High

Weakness

use-after-free

Exploited

No known exploitation

What is the vulnerability?

The NVD entry states: Pillow is a Python imaging library. Prior to 13.0.0, Pillow can double free image memory when ImagingScaleAffine encounters a selective allocation failure. The affected fast path handles Transform.EXTENT or pure scale-and-translate Transform.AFFINE operations with the default NEAREST resampling. The output image allocation must succeed while the additional per-column lookup allocation fails, after which the error path deletes image storage that later cleanup releases again. An attacker who can drive such a large Image.transform() operation under memory pressure may trigger the failure. This can crash the process and may corrupt memory. This issue is fixed in version 13.0.0.

Affected versions

Is it being exploited?

There is no public confirmation of exploitation at the time of publication. It does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. We will update this report if that changes.

What should you do?

• Identify whether the affected product and versions run in your environment.
• Apply the vendor update listed in the advisory as soon as it is available.
• Limit network exposure of the affected service until it is patched.
• Monitor the vendor advisory for updated guidance or exploitation reports.

What to do and how to stay safe: CVE-2026-112402

• Vulnerability severity scores ignore your specific architecture and context.
• Exploitability depends on network exposure and user behavior, not just code flaws.
• Prioritization requires continuous asset inventory and threat intelligence alignment.

Risk-based vulnerability management focuses your limited resources on the flaws that actually threaten your business. Start by mapping your critical assets and checking for active exploits to prioritize your backlog.

Step-by-step guide: Risk-Based Vulnerability Management: Prioritize Fixes by Actual Danger

General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-112402?

CVE-2026-112402 is a use-after-free vulnerability in python-pillow Pillow.

How severe is CVE-2026-112402?

It has a CVSS score of 8.7 High.

Is CVE-2026-112402 being exploited?

There is no public confirmation of exploitation at the time of publication.