CVE-2026-3146 is a vulnerability identified in the libvips image processing library, specifically in the function vips_foreign_load_matrix_header located in the source file libvips/foreign/matrixload.c. The flaw arises from improper handling of pointers, leading to a null pointer dereference when processing certain matrix headers. This results in an application crash, effectively causing a denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges to exploit, meaning an attacker must have the ability to execute code or commands on the affected system. No user interaction or elevated privileges beyond local access are necessary. The vulnerability affects all libvips versions from 8.0 through 8.18.0 inclusive. The patch addressing this issue is identified by the commit hash d4ce337c76bff1b278d7085c3c4f4725e3aa6ece. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 4.8, reflecting a medium severity level due to the limited attack vector (local), low complexity, and impact confined to availability. There are no known exploits reported in the wild at this time. Libvips is widely used in image processing pipelines, including web services, media platforms, and cloud environments, making this vulnerability relevant to organizations relying on these technologies. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity but can disrupt services by crashing applications that process maliciously crafted matrix headers.

The primary impact of CVE-2026-3146 is a denial of service condition caused by application crashes when processing specially crafted matrix headers in libvips. Organizations using libvips in their image processing workflows may experience service interruptions, potentially affecting web applications, media processing pipelines, or cloud services that rely on libvips. Although exploitation requires local access, this could be leveraged by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained limited foothold in a system to escalate disruption. The vulnerability does not expose sensitive data or allow code execution, limiting its impact to availability. However, in environments where libvips is a critical component, such as content delivery networks or automated image processing services, even temporary outages can lead to significant operational and reputational damage. The broad range of affected versions increases the likelihood that many deployments remain vulnerable if not patched. No known active exploitation reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for remediation.

To mitigate CVE-2026-3146, organizations should promptly apply the official patch identified by commit d4ce337c76bff1b278d7085c3c4f4725e3aa6ece to all affected libvips versions (8.0 through 8.18.0). If patching is not immediately possible, consider restricting local access to systems running libvips to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. Implement monitoring for application crashes or unusual behavior in services utilizing libvips to detect potential exploitation attempts. Employ application whitelisting and privilege separation to limit the ability of low-privilege users to execute or influence image processing workflows. Regularly update software dependencies and conduct security audits of image processing components. For containerized or cloud environments, rebuild images with updated libvips versions and redeploy to ensure consistent patching. Finally, maintain an incident response plan to quickly address any denial of service incidents related to this vulnerability.