CVE-2009-1183 in CUPS
Summary
by MITRE
The JBIG2 MMR decoder in Xpdf 3.02pl2 and earlier, CUPS 1.3.9 and earlier, Poppler before 0.10.6, and other products allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and hang) via a crafted PDF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1183 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting multiple PDF processing libraries and applications. This weakness specifically targets the JBIG2 MMR (Modified Modified Read) decoder implementation within various open source and commercial PDF rendering systems. The issue manifests when these applications encounter specially crafted PDF files containing malformed JBIG2 compression data that triggers infinite loop conditions during decompression operations. The vulnerability affects a broad range of software including Xpdf version 3.02pl2 and earlier, CUPS 1.3.9 and earlier, and Poppler versions prior to 0.10.6, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts fundamental document processing infrastructure used across numerous operating systems and network environments.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the JBIG2 MMR decoding algorithm. When processing compressed data streams, the decoder fails to properly validate the structure and boundaries of the compressed data, allowing malicious inputs to create recursive or iterative conditions that never terminate. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-835 category of infinite loops, where a loop condition is not properly managed to prevent indefinite execution. The vulnerability specifically exploits the MMR decoding process which is designed to handle variable-length data streams with specific marker codes and bit patterns, but fails to validate that these patterns do not create circular references or self-referential data structures that cause the decoding loop to continue indefinitely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect critical infrastructure and enterprise environments. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by simply delivering a malicious PDF file to any system running affected software, requiring no special privileges or authentication. The infinite loop condition causes the targeted application to consume excessive CPU resources and become unresponsive, effectively rendering the system unable to process legitimate PDF documents. This type of denial of service attack can be particularly devastating in environments where PDF processing is critical, such as document management systems, web servers, email gateways, and print services. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which describes denial of service through resource exhaustion, making it a significant threat vector for attackers seeking to disrupt operations without necessarily gaining unauthorized access to system resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected software components, with system administrators prioritizing updates to Xpdf, CUPS, and Poppler libraries to versions that contain proper input validation and loop termination mechanisms. Organizations should implement content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious PDF files before they reach vulnerable applications, particularly in email gateways and web applications. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional protection layers by limiting which systems can process PDF documents. The fix typically involves implementing proper bounds checking and termination conditions within the MMR decoding algorithms, ensuring that loop iterations have clear exit criteria and that compressed data structures are validated against expected patterns. Additionally, deploying monitoring systems that can detect unusual CPU usage patterns or application hangs can provide early warning of exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify other potential weaknesses in document processing pipelines.