CVE-2004-0788 in GTK+
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the ICO image decoder for (1) gdk-pixbuf before 0.22 and (2) gtk2 before 2.2.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted ICO file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0788 represents a critical integer overflow condition within the ICO image decoder component of graphical toolkit libraries. This flaw affects both gdk-pixbuf versions prior to 0.22 and GTK+ 2.x versions before 2.2.4, exposing systems that process ICO image files to potential denial of service attacks. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and improper handling of integer arithmetic during image parsing operations, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted ICO files can trigger unexpected behavior in affected applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the ICO decoder's handling of image dimensions and memory allocation parameters. When processing specially crafted ICO files, the decoder performs arithmetic operations on image size values that can exceed the maximum representable value for the integer data type being used. This overflow condition causes the application to allocate insufficient memory or attempt to access invalid memory regions, leading to application crashes and system instability. The flaw operates at the intersection of buffer management and integer arithmetic, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely through web-based image processing applications or file sharing systems.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems that handle user-provided image content, including web servers, email clients, and image processing applications. Attackers can construct ICO files with malicious dimension values that trigger the integer overflow during decoding, resulting in application crashes that can be leveraged for denial of service attacks against critical services. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as these crashes can potentially be exploited to cause system instability or be combined with other techniques to achieve more severe consequences. The vulnerability affects a broad range of applications that rely on the affected libraries for image processing capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple applications depend on these core components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0788 require immediate patching of affected software versions to address the integer overflow condition in the ICO decoder. System administrators should prioritize updating gdk-pixbuf to version 0.22 or later and GTK+ to version 2.2.4 or higher to eliminate the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing input validation measures such as limiting image file size and implementing strict format checking can provide defense-in-depth protection against malformed ICO files. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help prevent malicious ICO files from reaching vulnerable applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to memory corruption and application instability. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date vulnerability assessments to identify other related components that may be susceptible to similar integer overflow conditions.