CVE-2005-0760 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The TIFF decoder in ImageMagick before 6.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted TIFF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0760 represents a critical denial of service flaw within ImageMagick's TIFF file decoding functionality. This issue affects versions prior to 6.0 and demonstrates how image processing libraries can be exploited to disrupt system operations through carefully crafted malicious input files. The vulnerability specifically targets the TIFF decoder component, which is responsible for interpreting and rendering Tagged Image File Format files that are widely used in professional imaging and document management systems.
The technical flaw manifests when the TIFF decoder encounters malformed or specially crafted TIFF files that trigger unexpected behavior in the parsing logic. These malicious files exploit memory handling inconsistencies and buffer management issues within the decoder's implementation, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive during the image processing operation. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and lacks proper bounds checking mechanisms that should prevent the decoder from processing malformed data structures. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow, as the improper handling of input data leads to memory corruption during the decoding process. The attack vector requires remote execution since an attacker can deliver the malicious TIFF file through network-based services or applications that utilize ImageMagick for image processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged in broader attack scenarios within web applications and content management systems that rely on ImageMagick for image handling. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause cascading failures in applications that process user-uploaded images, potentially leading to complete system unavailability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where ImageMagick is used as a backend service for image processing, such as web servers, document conversion services, or digital asset management platforms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1499.004: Network Denial of Service, as it enables attackers to disrupt services through malformed input. The vulnerability also represents a path to privilege escalation in multi-tenant environments where the application may run with elevated privileges or where the crash could be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0760 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to ImageMagick 6.0 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow conditions in the TIFF decoder. Organizations should also implement input validation measures that filter or reject suspicious file formats before they reach the image processing pipeline, particularly in web applications that accept user uploads. Additional protective measures include deploying network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable services, implementing proper resource limits and timeouts for image processing operations, and establishing monitoring systems to detect unusual processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of regular security updates and the need for comprehensive input validation in all file processing components, particularly those handling complex binary formats like TIFF that contain numerous potential attack vectors.