CVE-2008-5870 in Image Viewer
Summary
by MITRE
FastStone Image Viewer 3.6 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a malformed BMP image with large width and height values, possibly a related issue to CVE-2007-1942.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5870 affects FastStone Image Viewer version 3.6 and represents a denial of service weakness that can be exploited through crafted malicious image files. This issue specifically targets the application's handling of bitmap image format files, where an attacker can construct a malformed bmp image with excessively large width and height parameters to trigger application instability. The vulnerability operates under the principle of resource exhaustion and buffer overflow conditions that occur during image parsing operations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might unknowingly encounter such malicious files.
The technical flaw manifests in the image viewer's insufficient input validation mechanisms when processing bmp file headers and metadata. When the application attempts to parse a malformed bmp image containing oversized width and height values, it fails to properly validate these parameters against reasonable bounds, leading to memory allocation failures or integer overflow conditions. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as "Improper Validation of Array Index" and can be categorized under CWE-125 as "Out-of-bounds Read" when the application attempts to access memory locations beyond allocated buffers. The issue directly relates to improper handling of user-supplied data during image processing operations, which constitutes a fundamental security weakness in input sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, potentially creating broader security concerns in environments where image viewers are frequently used. When exploited, the vulnerability causes the FastStone Image Viewer application to crash or become unresponsive, effectively denying service to legitimate users who may be attempting to view images. This denial of service condition can be particularly problematic in automated environments or when the application is used in conjunction with other security tools that rely on image processing capabilities. The vulnerability can also serve as a vector for more sophisticated attacks if combined with other exploitation techniques, making it a significant concern for organizations that depend on image viewing applications for their daily operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of FastStone Image Viewer, implementing strict file validation policies for image files, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious image file patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 as "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1499 as "Endpoint Denial of Service," indicating that it can be used as part of broader attack chains. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for image processing operations and establishing user education programs to prevent accidental exposure to malicious image files. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other image processing applications that may be susceptible to the same class of issues.