sharp: Use-after-free in bundled librsvg allows code execution

Summary

The Node.js image library sharp before 0.35.5 bundles librsvg, which contains a memory-related use-after-free flaw (CVE-2026-96889, CWE-416). If sharp decodes a crafted SVG image, an attacker may execute arbitrary code under certain runtime-specific conditions on glibc-based Linux. No authentication or user interaction is required, but the attacker must get an SVG image to sharp, for example through an upload or resize feature.

Affected

• sharp versions before 0.35.5 (npm package sharp)
• Bundled librsvg dependency (CVE-2026-96889)

Fixed in

• sharp 0.35.5 or later (includes librsvg 2.63.2)
• Globally installed librsvg: 2.63.2 or later (GNOME security releases 2.57.5 and 2.61.5 also exist)
• Linux distributions: check your vendor's librsvg update, as fix versions were not verified for all distributions

Workaround

• Stop sharp from decoding SVG images, as stated in the vendor advisory: sharp.block({ operation: ["VipsForeignLoadSvg"] });
• Reject SVG uploads before they reach the image processing pipeline.
• Use a Position Independent Executable (PIE) Node.js binary to reduce RCE risk; the official Node.js binaries are not PIE.

Exploitation

• No known exploitation in the wild found at the time of research; CISA KEV was not verified.
• CISA SSVC assessment: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
• No public proof of concept found.

Our recommendation

• Inventory all sharp installations, including transitive dependencies and container images (for example with npm ls sharp).
• Upgrade to sharp 0.35.5 or later and rebuild containers.
• If the application processes user-supplied SVG files, block SVG until the update is applied.
• Monitor for a CISA KEV listing and vendor updates.

Public exploits iAttack code is publicly available (PoC on GitHub, Metasploit or Exploit-DB).

PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.

Research sources

• GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-wq5f-xc86-pv6w (lovell/sharp) github.com
• VulnCheck advisory: Sharp before 0.35.5 RCE via librsvg dependency www.vulncheck.com
• GNOME librsvg release 2.61.5 github.com
• GNOME librsvg release 2.57.5 github.com
• SentinelOne vulnerability database: CVE-2026-96889 www.sentinelone.com
• GitLab advisory mirror GHSA-wq5f-xc86-pv6w advisories.gitlab.com

Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 31 Oct 2026, 08:27.