CVE-2025-54418
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedCodeIgniter is a PHP full-stack web framework. A command injection vulnerability present in versions prior to 4.6.2 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 Users should upgrade to v4.6.2 or later to receive a patch. As a workaround, 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 one must use ImageMagick with user-controlled text, sanitize the input to only allow safe characters and validate/restrict text options.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceCommand injection vulnerability in CodeIgniter's ImageMagick image handler allows attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands via malicious filenames containing shell metacharacters processed through the resize() method, or via malicious text content/options passed to the text() method. The vulnerability affects applications using the imagick library with user-controlled input.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data>= 4.0.0, < 4.6.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check CodeIgniter versionInspect the VERSION file in the system directory, or run: composer show codeigniter/framework | grep version, or check the version constant in system/CodeIgniter.phpAffected if version is 4.0.0 through 4.6.1 (any version < 4.6.2)
-
Verify ImageMagick handler is in useCheck your image library configuration (app/Config/Images.php) for $imageHandler = 'Imagick' or inspect controller code that sets the driver: $this->image->setDriver('imagick')Affected if the imagick driver is configured or set as the active image handler
-
Find resize() calls with user inputSearch your codebase for calls to $this->image->resize() where the filename/path argument could be user-supplied (e.g., from $_GET, $_POST, or uploaded files)Affected if resize() processes filenames or paths that come directly from user input without sanitization
-
Find text() calls with user inputSearch your codebase for calls to $this->image->text() where the text content or options argument could be user-suppliedAffected if text() processes content or options that come directly from user input without sanitization
You are affected if your CodeIgniter version is below 4.6.2 AND you use the imagick image handler with user input flowing into resize() or text() methods.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped4.6.2
Urgently upgrade to CodeIgniter v4.6.2 or later, or switch to the GD image handler as a workaround. For existing deployments, use getRandomName()/store() for file uploads and sanitize all user input to image processing functions.
4.6.2
- Update CodeIgniter to version 4.6.2 or later via Composer: `composer update codeigniter4/framework` or by downloading the new version from the official repository
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the framework version using `app()->CI_VERSION` or the installed composer package version
- After upgrading, if using the ImageMagick handler (`imagick`), test that file uploads and image processing functionality still works correctly with the patched version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-54418 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-54418 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data