Remote shell execution vulnerability in image_processingGHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446
CRITICALFix: janko/image_processing@038e457GHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in image_processing. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for image_processing — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,738 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
image_processingReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects RubyGems packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
When using the #apply method from image_processing to apply a series of operations that are coming from unsanitized user input, this allows the attacker to execute shell commands:
ImageProcessing::Vips.apply({ system: "echo EXECUTED" })
#>> EXECUTED
This method is called internally by Active Storage variants, so Active Storage is vulnerable as well.
Patches
The vulnerability has been fixed in version 1.12.2 of image_processing.
Workarounds
If you're processing based on user input, it's highly recommended that you always sanitize the user input, by allowing only a constrained set of operations. For example:
operations = params[:operations]
.map { |operation| [operation[:name], *operation[:value]] }
.select { |name, *| name.to_s.include? %w[resize_to_limit strip ...] } # sanitization
ImageProcessing::Vips.apply(operations)
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💎RubyGems | image_processing | all versions | 1.12.2bundle update image_processing --conservative |
Affected Products
debian linuxdebianimage processingimage_processing_projectResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for image_processing, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update image_processing to 1.12.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-cxf7-qrc5-9446 in your dependencies?
Find it across RubyGems, including transitive dependencies.