How severe is CVE-2019-12978?

CVE-2019-12978 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2019-12978 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (77th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-12978?

CVE-2019-12978 affects Imagemagick. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-12978?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2019-12978 published?

CVE-2019-12978 was published on 2019-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-12978

CVE-2019-12978 is a high-severity vulnerability in Imagemagick with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-665.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (77th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-665
Affected product: Imagemagick
Published: 2019-06-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

ImageMagick 7.0.8-34 has a "use of uninitialized value" vulnerability in the ReadPANGOImage function in coders/pango.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-12978?: ImageMagick 7.0.8-34 has a "use of uninitialized value" vulnerability in the ReadPANGOImage function in coders/pango.c.
How severe is CVE-2019-12978?: CVE-2019-12978 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-12978 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (77th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-12978?: CVE-2019-12978 affects Imagemagick. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-12978?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-12978 published?: CVE-2019-12978 was published on 2019-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:imagemagick:imagemagick:7.0.8-34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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