# CVE-2020-27761: Integer overflow in ImageMagick

> An integer overflow in ImageMagick's PALM image coder can cause undefined behavior and potential application crashes when processing crafted files.

- **Severity:** Low 3.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2020-27761, GHSA-7vpm-rrmr-qfh6, JLSEC-2026-859, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-27761

## What is CVE-2020-27761?

CVE-2020-27761 is a low-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 3 Dec 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

WritePALMImage() in /coders/palm.c used size_t casts in several areas of a calculation which could lead to values outside the range of representable type `unsigned long` undefined behavior when a crafted input file was processed by ImageMagick. The patch casts to `ssize_t` instead to avoid this issue. Red Hat Product Security marked the Severity as Low because although it could potentially lead to an impact to application availability, no specific impact was shown in this case. This flaw affects ImageMagick versions prior to ImageMagick 7.0.9-0.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-27761?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Imagemagick Imagemagick.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-27761?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2020-27761 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27761 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-27761 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-27761 is a low-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 3 Dec 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27761 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27761/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27761/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27761
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27761
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-27761

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27761/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.