This vulnerability occurs in ImageMagick’s PostScript writers; unsanitized input in the PostScript header allows an attacker to embed arbitrary PostScript commands. When the resulting PostScript file is processed by a printer or viewer, such as Ghostscript, the injected code is executed with the privileges of the ImageMagick process. The weakness is characterized as CWE‑94 (Code Injection) and carries a CVSS score of 5.7, indicating a moderate severity.

All ImageMagick installations prior to versions 7.1.2‑15 and 6.9.13‑40 are affected. These versions write unfiltered input into the PostScript header, leaving the system vulnerable to malicious image files. The product is ImageMagick:ImageMagick, which may be used to convert images to PostScript on a variety of platforms.

The EPSS score is less than 1%, suggesting a low probability of exploitation, and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog. Exploitation requires possession of a crafted image file that will be processed by the ps coders; once the file is rendered by a PostScript interpreter, the attacker’s code runs. If the ImageMagick process operates with elevated privileges, the impact could be particularly severe.