CVE-2005-0891 in GTK+
Summary
by MITRE
Double free vulnerability in gtk 2 (gtk2) before 2.2.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted BMP image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0891 represents a critical double free error within the GTK 2 graphical toolkit library, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.2.4. This flaw resides in the BMP image handling component of the GTK2 library, which is widely used in graphical user interface applications across multiple operating systems including Linux, Unix, and Windows platforms. The double free vulnerability occurs when the application processes a specially crafted BMP image file, leading to memory management corruption that can be exploited by remote attackers to cause system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory deallocation logic within the GTK2 image processing code. When a malicious BMP file is parsed by the vulnerable library, the memory allocation functions execute multiple free operations on the same memory block, creating a condition where the heap management structures become corrupted. This memory corruption typically results in a segmentation fault or crash of the application that is processing the image file. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-415: Double Free, which is a well-known class of memory safety issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions when exploited properly.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that utilize GTK2 applications and are exposed to untrusted image content. Attackers can remotely trigger the vulnerability by delivering a malicious BMP file through various attack vectors such as web browsers, email attachments, or file sharing services. The resulting denial of service can affect not only the targeted application but potentially the entire system if the application is critical to system operations or if the crash leads to resource exhaustion. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because BMP format is a widely supported image format that is often used in web applications and desktop environments, making the attack surface broad and accessible.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and denial of service operations. The attack chain typically involves initial access through a malicious image file, followed by the execution of the double free condition during image parsing. The vulnerability can be mitigated through immediate patching of the GTK2 library to version 2.2.4 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Additionally, system administrators should implement image validation and sanitization measures, restrict file type handling in applications, and maintain up-to-date security patches for all graphical toolkit components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious image file transfers to reduce the attack surface and detect potential exploitation attempts.