CVE-2007-6355 in exiftags
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in exiftags before 1.01 has unknown impact and attack vectors, resulting from a "field offset overflow" that triggers an "illegal memory access," a different vulnerability than CVE-2007-6354.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6355 represents a critical integer overflow condition within the exiftags library version 1.00 and earlier, which serves as a foundational component for processing exchangeable image file format metadata. This flaw specifically manifests as a "field offset overflow" that occurs during the parsing of EXIF data structures within digital image files, creating a scenario where the application fails to properly validate numeric values before using them as memory offsets. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that allow maliciously crafted EXIF metadata to cause arithmetic overflow conditions, ultimately leading to memory corruption and potential system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the memory management level where improper handling of field offsets can result in arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of EXIF tag structures where field offset calculations exceed the maximum representable value for the integer type being used, typically resulting in a wraparound condition that produces invalid memory addresses. When the exiftags library processes an image file containing crafted EXIF data, it performs arithmetic operations on offset values without proper bounds checking, allowing attackers to control the memory access patterns through carefully constructed metadata. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of "Integer Overflow or Wraparound" and can be classified as a memory safety issue that enables privilege escalation or remote code execution depending on the execution context. The underlying flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where integer arithmetic operations are performed without proper overflow detection mechanisms, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate memory layout through metadata manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-6355 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable full system compromise when the affected library is used in applications that process untrusted image files. This vulnerability affects a wide range of applications that rely on exiftags for image metadata processing, including digital photo viewers, image editing software, web applications that handle user-uploaded images, and content management systems. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting specially formatted image files containing malicious EXIF metadata that triggers the integer overflow condition during parsing. The vulnerability creates opportunities for remote code execution through web-based attack vectors, particularly when vulnerable applications automatically process and display metadata from user-uploaded files without proper sanitization. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for "Exploitation for Client Execution" and demonstrates how seemingly benign metadata processing can become a critical attack surface.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6355 require immediate patching of the exiftags library to version 1.01 or later, which includes proper integer overflow checking and bounds validation for field offset calculations. System administrators should implement input sanitization measures that validate all EXIF metadata before processing, particularly focusing on offset values and tag lengths that could trigger arithmetic overflow conditions. Network-level defenses should include content filtering mechanisms that scan image files for suspicious metadata patterns and implement proper file format validation to prevent malformed EXIF data from reaching vulnerable applications. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of vulnerable software and deploy intrusion detection systems that monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability class. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper integer overflow detection using techniques such as overflow checking macros, bounds validation routines, and defensive programming practices that ensure all numeric calculations remain within safe operational ranges. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of memory safety in image processing libraries and the need for comprehensive input validation in all data parsing operations.