diff --git a/src/libOpenImageIO/imageio.cpp b/src/libOpenImageIO/imageio.cpp
index 606289ab67..0a53c1d28e 100644
--- a/src/libOpenImageIO/imageio.cpp
+++ b/src/libOpenImageIO/imageio.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ int limit_imagesize_MB(std::min(32 * 1024,
 int imageinput_strict(0);
 ustring font_searchpath(Sysutil::getenv("OPENIMAGEIO_FONTS"));
 ustring plugin_searchpath(OIIO_DEFAULT_PLUGIN_SEARCHPATH);
+ustring
+    allowed_input_format_list;  // list of input formats to be allowed at runtime
+ustring
+    allowed_output_format_list;  // list of output formats to be allowed at runtime
 std::string format_list;         // comma-separated list of all formats
 std::string input_format_list;   // comma-separated list of readable formats
 std::string output_format_list;  // comma-separated list of writable formats
@@ -439,6 +443,14 @@ attribute(string_view name, TypeDesc type, const void* val)
         oiio_try_all_readers = *(const int*)val;
         return true;
     }
+    if (name == "allowed_input_formats" && type == TypeString) {
+        allowed_input_format_list = ustring(*(const char**)val);
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (name == "allowed_output_formats" && type == TypeString) {
+        allowed_output_format_list = ustring(*(const char**)val);
+        return true;
+    }
 
     return false;
 }
@@ -676,6 +688,20 @@ getattribute(string_view name, TypeDesc type, void* val)
         *(float*)val = IB_total_image_read_time;
         return true;
     }
+    if (name == "allowed_input_formats" && type == TypeString) {
+        if (allowed_input_format_list.empty()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        *(ustring*)val = allowed_input_format_list;
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (name == "allowed_output_formats" && type == TypeString) {
+        if (allowed_output_format_list.empty()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        *(ustring*)val = allowed_output_format_list;
+        return true;
+    }
     return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libOpenImageIO/imageioplugin.cpp b/src/libOpenImageIO/imageioplugin.cpp
index 328a71664b..9511c89f29 100644
--- a/src/libOpenImageIO/imageioplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/libOpenImageIO/imageioplugin.cpp
@@ -537,6 +537,28 @@ ImageOutput::create(string_view filename, Filesystem::IOProxy* ioproxy,
         format = filename;
     }
 
+    ustring comma_sep_allowed_output_formats;
+    if (OIIO::getattribute("allowed_output_formats", TypeString,
+                           &comma_sep_allowed_output_formats)) {
+        std::vector<std::string> allowed_output_formats;
+        Strutil::split(comma_sep_allowed_output_formats, allowed_output_formats,
+                       ",", -1);
+
+        bool isValidFormat = 0;
+        for (std::string allowed_format : allowed_output_formats) {
+            if (allowed_format == format) {
+                isValidFormat = 1;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!isValidFormat) {
+            OIIO::errorfmt(
+                "ImageOutput::create() called: output image format not found in list of allowed formats");
+            return out;
+        }
+    }
+
     ImageOutput::Creator create_function = nullptr;
     {  // scope the lock:
         std::unique_lock<std::recursive_mutex> lock(imageio_mutex);
@@ -630,6 +652,29 @@ ImageInput::create(string_view filename, bool do_open, const ImageSpec* config,
         format = filename;
     }
 
+    ustring comma_sep_allowed_input_formats;
+    if (OIIO::getattribute("allowed_input_formats", TypeString,
+                           &comma_sep_allowed_input_formats)) {
+        std::vector<std::string> allowed_input_formats;
+        Strutil::split(comma_sep_allowed_input_formats, allowed_input_formats,
+                       ",", -1);
+
+        bool isValidFormat = 0;
+        for (std::string allowed_format : allowed_input_formats) {
+            if (allowed_format == format) {
+                isValidFormat = 1;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!isValidFormat) {
+            OIIO::errorfmt(
+                "ImageInput::create() called: input image format not found in list of allowed formats");
+            return in;
+        }
+    }
+
+
     ImageInput::Creator create_function = nullptr;
     {  // scope the lock:
         std::unique_lock<std::recursive_mutex> lock(imageio_mutex);