How severe is CVE-2020-29599?

CVE-2020-29599 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-2020-29599 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 8% (94th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-29599?

CVE-2020-29599 primarily affects Imagemagick. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-29599?

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-2020-29599 published?

CVE-2020-29599 was published on 2020-12-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-29599

CVE-2020-29599 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-91.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 8% (94th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-91
Affected product: Imagemagick
Published: 2020-12-07
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

ImageMagick before 6.9.11-40 and 7.x before 7.0.10-40 mishandles the -authenticate option, which allows setting a password for password-protected PDF files. The user-controlled password was not properly escaped/sanitized and it was therefore possible to inject additional shell commands via coders/pdf.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-29599?: ImageMagick before 6.9.11-40 and 7.x before 7.0.10-40 mishandles the -authenticate option, which allows setting a password for password-protected PDF files. The user-controlled password was not properly escaped/sanitized and it was therefore possible to inject additional shell commands via coders/pdf.c.
How severe is CVE-2020-29599?: CVE-2020-29599 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-2020-29599 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 8% (94th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-29599?: CVE-2020-29599 primarily affects Imagemagick. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-29599?: 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-2020-29599 published?: CVE-2020-29599 was published on 2020-12-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:imagemagick:imagemagick:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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