ImageMagick EPHEMERAL Coder Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability (CVE-2016-3715)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTImageMagick before version 6.9.3-10 and 7.x before version 7.0.1-1
Remote attackers can delete arbitrary files on the system by tricking the application into processing a crafted image
Upgrade ImageMagick to the latest secure versions (6.9.3-10+, 7.0.1-1+) or disable the EPHEMERAL coder via policy.xml
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
The recommended remediation is to upgrade ImageMagick to the latest patched version.
# For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade imagemagick -y
# For RedHat/CentOS-based systems
sudo yum update imagemagick -y2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If upgrading immediately is not feasible, you must disable the vulnerable EPHEMERAL coder by modifying the global policy.xml configuration file.
# Locate and edit the policy.xml file (typically in /etc/ImageMagick/ or /etc/ImageMagick-6/)
sudo nano /etc/ImageMagick-6/policy.xml
# Add the following policy rule inside the <policymap> block:
# <policy domain='coder' rights='none' pattern='EPHEMERAL' />3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following commands to verify the installed ImageMagick version and ensure the mitigation policy is correctly applied.
# Check the currently installed ImageMagick version
convert -version
# Verify if the EPHEMERAL coder restriction is active in the policy
convert -list policy | grep -i 'EPHEMERAL'Scan Your Repositories for Transitive Vulnerable Dependencies in 30 Seconds
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability exists due to a design flaw in the 'EPHEMERAL' pseudo-protocol coder within ImageMagick. The EPHEMERAL coder is intended to automatically delete the original input file after processing is complete. However, because it lacks proper validation and sandboxing of the input file path, an attacker can supply a crafted image file referencing arbitrary system paths, leading to unauthorized file deletion (CWE-552) under the privileges of the ImageMagick process.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker crafts an image file containing a reference to the EPHEMERAL protocol, such as 'ephemeral:/path/to/target/file'. When a web application processes this uploaded image using ImageMagick (e.g., for thumbnail generation), the library invokes the EPHEMERAL coder. Upon completion of the image processing, the coder executes a deletion command on the specified target path, mistaking it for a temporary file. This allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to delete critical files if they can upload or trigger the processing of malicious images.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is listed on the CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Successful exploitation can lead to a severe Denial of Service (DoS) by deleting critical application source code, configuration files, or database files. If the web server process runs with elevated privileges (such as root), the entire operating system's integrity and availability can be compromised.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
The EPHEMERAL coder in ImageMagick before 6.9.3-10 and 7.x before 7.0.1-1 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary files via a crafted image.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2016-3715)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2016-3715 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2016-3715 is rated CVSS 5.5 (MEDIUM) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 75.3%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2016-3715?
Primary impacted vendors include imagemagick across imagemagick. Scope summary: ImageMagick versions prior to 6.9.3-10 and 7.x versions prior to 7.0.1-1
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2016-3715 before patching?
[Mitigation] Upgrade ImageMagick to the latest secure versions (6.9.3-10+, 7.0.1-1+) or disable the EPHEMERAL coder via policy.xml Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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