CVE-2009-0793 in OpenJDK
Summary
by MITRE
cmsxform.c in LittleCMS (aka lcms or liblcms) 1.18, as used in OpenJDK and other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via a crafted image that triggers execution of incorrect code for "transformations of monochrome profiles."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0793 represents a critical denial of service flaw within LittleCMS version 1.18, a widely used color management library that serves as a foundational component in numerous software applications including OpenJDK. This issue stems from improper handling of color profile transformations, specifically affecting monochrome profiles during the cmsxform.c processing phase. The flaw manifests when maliciously crafted image files are processed through the library, triggering a NULL pointer dereference condition that results in application crashes and system instability. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual applications to potentially affect entire systems that depend on LittleCMS for color management operations, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where color consistency and application reliability are paramount.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the color transformation functions of LittleCMS. When processing monochrome color profiles, the cmsxform.c module fails to properly validate the structure and content of incoming profile data, leading to scenarios where NULL pointers are dereferenced during transformation operations. This particular flaw aligns with CWE-476, which categorizes NULL pointer dereference conditions as a common software weakness that can result in application crashes and potential exploitation for denial of service attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the transformation logic that handles monochrome profiles, where the code path does not adequately check for valid pointer references before attempting to access profile data structures, creating a predictable crash condition that remote attackers can exploit through crafted image files.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-0793 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially disrupt critical color management workflows in environments relying on LittleCMS. In OpenJDK implementations, this vulnerability can cause Java applications to terminate unexpectedly when processing images with maliciously constructed color profiles, affecting everything from web applications to desktop software that depends on proper color rendering. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the condition without local access, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications or systems that process untrusted image data. Organizations using affected versions of LittleCMS should consider the broader implications for their color management pipelines, as even a single compromised image file can potentially bring down entire applications or services that depend on color profile processing. The flaw also demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing libraries, where malformed data can lead to system instability rather than merely display issues.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-0793 should focus on immediate patching of affected LittleCMS versions, with particular attention to the specific cmsxform.c module that contains the vulnerable code paths. System administrators should prioritize updating to LittleCMS versions that have addressed this NULL pointer dereference issue, typically through patches that implement proper input validation and error handling for monochrome profile transformations. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as input sanitization for image processing workflows, particularly in environments where untrusted image data is processed. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK framework's T1499.004 technique for network denial of service highlights the importance of monitoring for unusual application crash patterns and implementing proper error handling to prevent cascading failures. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious image processing patterns and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all systems that utilize LittleCMS or OpenJDK components will significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The fix typically involves adding proper NULL pointer checks before dereferencing profile data structures and implementing graceful error handling that prevents application crashes rather than allowing the system to terminate unexpectedly.