GIMP can't open jpg file - bug in recent Lubuntu update?

[wolf314]

This post is not for getting help or support but for information purpose only.

Today GIMP can’t open jpg or png files any more giving the message ‘Plug-in crashed: file-jpeg’.
A research led to the suspicion that a recent update may be the cause for that. Hence I installed GIMP in Virtualbox with Lubuntu 24.04 that hasn’t been updated for some time and checked that it opened a jpg file flawlessly.
Then I updated Lubuntu, rebooted, opened GIMP and tried to open that jpg file again. Now this malfunctioned and the message mentioned above was shown. Therefore I strongly guess that an update file has a bug.

So I think this issue will be resolved by a future update automatically.

[guiverc]

I’ve seen a stream of such issues (reported in support type sites) in the last few ~hours.

It’s not noble, but Bug #2144731 “Multiple image apps (Gwenview, GIMP, gThumb) crash...” : Bugs : gimp package : Ubuntu appears in a search.

[ogra]

@wolf314

So I think this issue will be resolved by a future update automatically.

How would it be fixed if you do not actually report it as a bug in the right place (this forum is clearly not the place) …

Use ubuntu-bug gimp to report it and have the tool collect the relevant logs for the report ….

[guiverc]

If it’s that issue I mention, the ‘fix’ is found in

exiv2 (0.27.6-1ubuntu0.3) noble-security; urgency=medium

* SECURITY REGRESSION: Segmentation Fault (LP: [#2144731](https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2144731))
- Remove CVE-2025-55304 patches due to intrusive changes causing
a segmentation fault
- CVE-2025-55304
 -- Bruce Cable <bruce.cable@canonical.com> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:54:48 +1100

If you are using that; I suggest filing a bug report as @ogra suggests.

[wolf314]

There are more capable people to do this. As guiverc just has posted, this problem is already well-known.

[ogra]

@wolf314

There are more capable people to do this.

The ubuntu-bug tool requires no capabilities beyond what you just did above (writing a minimal description of what fails for you), everything else is automatic, it even shows you a list of potentially already reported bugs that could be the issue so you can check them, but if you are totally sure it is the exiv2 bug, then indeed don’t bother (though again, this forum is not the right place at all, only very few devs read here, but all of them check the bug tracker regularly)

[guiverc]

@ogra

The ubuntu-bug tool requires no capabilities beyond what you just did above (writing a minimal description of what fails for you), everything else is automatic,

Dieter, I’ll try and encourage you to file a report…

There were many reports marked duplicate to the one I linked, I opened a number looking for something in noble (24.04), and many of what I did open were FAR LESS USEFUL than what was provided in your initial post in this thread.

I’ve not seen the problem, I can’t file a bug report, in fact just got a reply on a firefox issue, and am considering if I have energy left to go explore what I was asked, or leave it for tomorrow/later… beside which I for myself confused over my last comment

@guiverc

If you are using that; I suggest filing a bug report as @ogra suggests.

and whether or not that was what I meant, or the reverse of what I mean (I’ve already edited it once!!) but I’m tired & need to go to bed.

Even if your report is marked duplicate - it’s still useful as adds heat to an existing report (ie. impacting more users!)…

[wolf314]

@guiverc

I’ll try and encourage you to file a report

Done

[wolf314]

libexiv2-27 has just been updated. Now all works fine again.