CVE-2006-2656 in libtiff
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the tiffsplit command in libtiff 3.8.2 and earlier might might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long filename. NOTE: tiffsplit is not setuid. If there is not a common scenario under which tiffsplit is called with attacker-controlled command line arguments, then perhaps this issue should not be included in CVE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-2656 represents a stack-based buffer overflow within the tiffsplit utility of libtiff version 3.8.2 and earlier. This flaw exists in the command line argument processing mechanism where the tiffsplit utility fails to properly validate the length of filename arguments passed through the command line interface. The vulnerability occurs when an attacker provides an excessively long filename argument that exceeds the allocated buffer space on the stack, leading to memory corruption that can potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code. The issue is classified as a stack-based buffer overflow, which maps directly to CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow, a well-documented weakness in software development that occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of a fixed-length stack buffer.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires that the tiffsplit utility be invoked with attacker-controlled command line arguments, as the utility itself is not setuid and does not run with elevated privileges. This means that while the vulnerability exists in the codebase, its exploitation potential is limited by the execution context in which the utility operates. The buffer overflow occurs during the parsing of command line arguments, specifically when handling the filename parameter that is passed to the tiffsplit utility. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where the software does not adequately check the length of user-supplied input before processing it, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations and potentially manipulate program execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a significant security risk in environments where image processing utilities are frequently used or where users might have the ability to provide command line arguments to the tiffsplit utility. In scenarios where tiffsplit is part of automated processing pipelines or where it might be invoked by web applications or other software components, an attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in systems where multiple users or untrusted input sources might interact with the image processing pipeline, as it could potentially be exploited to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to system resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate code-level fixes including proper input validation and bounds checking for all command line arguments, as well as implementing stack canaries or other memory protection mechanisms to detect buffer overflows. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to libtiff versions that have been patched to address this specific buffer overflow issue, as the original vulnerability exists in versions prior to 3.8.3. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and input sanitization measures to prevent untrusted users from directly invoking the tiffsplit utility with potentially malicious arguments. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in preventing exploitation of buffer overflow vulnerabilities in image processing utilities.