CVE-2006-6297 in kdegraphics
Summary
by MITRE
Stack consumption vulnerability in the KFILE JPEG (kfile_jpeg) plugin in kdegraphics 3, as used by konqueror, digikam, and other KDE image browsers, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stack consumption) via a crafted EXIF section in a JPEG file, which results in an infinite recursion.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6297 represents a critical stack consumption flaw within the KFILE JPEG plugin component of KDE graphics 3, specifically affecting the konqueror web browser and digikam image viewer applications. This issue stems from improper handling of EXIF metadata within JPEG image files, creating a condition where maliciously crafted EXIF sections can trigger infinite recursive processing. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the plugin's failure to properly validate or limit recursive parsing operations when encountering malformed EXIF data structures, leading to rapid stack exhaustion and subsequent application crash.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of a recursive parsing mechanism within the kfile_jpeg plugin that processes EXIF metadata embedded in JPEG files. When a JPEG file contains specially crafted EXIF data that creates circular references or nested structures without proper termination conditions, the parsing routine enters an infinite recursion loop. Each recursive call consumes stack space, and as the recursion continues indefinitely, the available stack memory is progressively consumed until the application crashes. This behavior directly maps to CWE-674, which describes "Uncontrolled Recursion" as a weakness where recursion is not properly bounded or terminated, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Denial of Service through resource exhaustion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it enables remote attackers to perform denial of service attacks against systems running affected KDE applications. Attackers can craft malicious JPEG files containing crafted EXIF data that, when opened by vulnerable applications, will cause immediate system resource exhaustion and application termination. This vulnerability affects not only konqueror but also digikam and other KDE image browsers that utilize the kfile_jpeg plugin, creating a widespread impact across the KDE ecosystem. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through normal image browsing activities, making it difficult for users to defend against without proper patching or application updates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-6297 require immediate patching of affected KDE graphics 3 installations, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes or network filtering alone. System administrators should prioritize updating to patched versions of KDE graphics 3 that contain proper bounds checking and recursion limiting mechanisms within the kfile_jpeg plugin. Additional protective measures include implementing content filtering for image files, particularly those from untrusted sources, and deploying application sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and recursive algorithm design in preventing stack-based denial of service conditions, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for robust error handling in multimedia processing libraries that handle complex file formats with nested metadata structures.