CVE-2025-54418

Workarounds

• Switch to the GD image handler (gd, the default handler), which is not affected by either vulnerability
• For file upload scenarios: Instead of using user-provided filenames, generate random names to eliminate the attack vector with getRandomName() when using the move() method, or use the store() method, which automatically generates safe filenames
• For text operations: If you must use ImageMagick with user-controlled text, sanitize the input to only allow safe characters: preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9\s.,!?-]/', '', $text) and validate/restrict text options

References

• OWASP Command Injection Prevention
• CWE-78: OS Command Injection

This vulnerability affects applications that:

• Use the ImageMagick handler for image processing (imagick as the image library)
• AND either:
  • Allow file uploads with user-controlled filenames and process uploaded images using the resize() method
  • OR use the text() method with user-controlled text content or options

An attacker can:

• Upload a file with a malicious filename containing shell metacharacters that get executed when the image is processed
• OR provide malicious text content or options that get executed when adding text to images

Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host. Typical impact: code execution in the application's environment.

CVE-2025-54418 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (4.6.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Upgrade to v4.6.2 or later.

1. What is CVE-2025-54418? CVE-2025-54418 is a critical-severity OS command injection vulnerability in codeigniter4/framework (composer), affecting versions < 4.6.2. It is fixed in 4.6.2. Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host.
2. How severe is CVE-2025-54418? CVE-2025-54418 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of codeigniter4/framework are affected by CVE-2025-54418? codeigniter4/framework (composer) versions < 4.6.2 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2025-54418? Yes. CVE-2025-54418 is fixed in 4.6.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2025-54418 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-54418 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2025-54418 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2025-54418? Upgrade codeigniter4/framework to 4.6.2 or later.