# CVE-2026-86422: ImageMagick before 7.1.2-30 Path Policy TOCTOU Symlink Race

> Attackers can bypass path policy restrictions in ImageMagick on Windows via symlink race conditions to read or write unauthorized files.

- **Severity:** Low 1.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-66p9-q2qw-cpw8, GHSA-x8g2-7r3w-h44p, MINI-3q2w-j6x8-45fw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-86422

## What is CVE-2026-86422?

CVE-2026-86422 is a low-severity vulnerability in Imagemagick Imagemagick, published on 7 Sep 2026. 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

ImageMagick before 7.1.2-30 contains a time-of-check-time-of-use vulnerability in path policy enforcement on Windows that allows attackers to bypass read or write restrictions by exploiting symlink race conditions. Attackers can swap symlinks between policy validation and file access to read or write policy-denied files.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-86422?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Imagemagick Imagemagick.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-86422?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-86422 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-86422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Imagemagick Imagemagick

- [CVE-2019-19952](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19952/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-16328](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16328/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-16329](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16329/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-18210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18210/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-14138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14138/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-86422 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-86422 is a low-severity vulnerability in Imagemagick Imagemagick, published on 7 Sep 2026. 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-2026-86422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Imagemagick Imagemagick. 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-2026-86422/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86422/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-86422
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86422
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-86422

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86422/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.