---
id: "CVE-2026-8824"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-8824"]
title: "VTK: crafted BMP file triggers buffer overflow in vtkBMPReader"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.5
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "vtk", "fixed": [], "affected": "9.6.1", "ecosystem": "pypi"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["medical-imaging", "package", "python", "scientific-computing", "vtk"]
not_affected_if: ["no-untrusted-bmp-input", "not-using-vtkbmpreader"]
published_at: "2026-10-29T19:17:28+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-29T19:26:48+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-29T19:28:30+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-8824", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-29T19:26:48+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": null, "first_seen_at": "2026-10-29T19:28:30+00:00"}]
---

# VTK: crafted BMP file triggers buffer overflow in vtkBMPReader

VTK, the Visualization Toolkit library, has a memory corruption flaw in its BMP image reader. A specially crafted .bmp file can overflow a buffer, and an attacker who supplies such a file can trigger it.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- pypi:vtk affected 9.6.1 fixed ?

## How to check

Run python -c "import vtk; print(vtk.VTK_VERSION)" and see whether it is 9.6.1. Search your code for vtkBMPReader or for readers that pick the format from the file extension, and see whether they get untrusted .bmp files.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-29T19:26:48+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-8824
- 2026-10-29T19:28:30+00:00 analyst — Talos-reported (Emmanuel Tacheau), CWE-787, CVSS 7.5 by Talos CNA. Only 9.6.1 is listed affected ('guessed' CPE); no fixed VTK version found: VTK has no advisory for it and the Talos report page was not retrievable. No exploitation or PoC found. Nothing verified. Settling it needs the Talos report or a Kitware GitLab fix MR.

## Documents

- [advisory] CVE-2026-8824 CVE record (Talos CNA) via Vulnerability-Lookup https://cve.circl.lu/vuln/CVE-2026-8824
- [mentions] VTK 9.6.1 release announcement https://discourse.vtk.org/t/vtk-9-6-1-release/16356

## From the sources

A memory corruption vulnerability exists in the vtkBMPReader ExecuteDataWithInformation functionality of vtk (version(s): 9.6.1). A specially crafted .bmp file can lead to a buffer overflow. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_