CVE-2011-3048 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
The png_set_text_2 function in pngset.c in libpng 1.0.x before 1.0.59, 1.2.x before 1.2.49, 1.4.x before 1.4.11, and 1.5.x before 1.5.10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted text chunk in a PNG image file, which triggers a memory allocation failure that is not properly handled, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-3048 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within the libpng library implementation. This vulnerability specifically affects the png_set_text_2 function in pngset.c, which processes text chunks within PNG image files. The flaw exists across multiple versions of libpng including 1.0.x before 1.0.59, 1.2.x before 1.2.49, 1.4.x before 1.4.11, and 1.5.x before 1.5.10, indicating a widespread issue that has persisted across major releases of this widely-used graphics library. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation failures during text chunk processing, where the library fails to validate input parameters before attempting memory operations.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves attackers crafting malicious PNG files containing specially formatted text chunks that trigger memory allocation failures. When the png_set_text_2 function processes these crafted chunks, it attempts to allocate memory without proper bounds checking or error handling for allocation failures. This leads to a heap-based buffer overflow condition where the application writes beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially causing application crashes or providing attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability manifests as a failure to properly handle memory allocation errors that occur during text chunk processing, creating a path for exploitation through malformed input data.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems processing PNG images, particularly those that handle untrusted image data from web applications, file upload systems, or image processing pipelines. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely through web applications that process user-uploaded PNG files, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise web servers or applications that rely on libpng for image handling. The potential for both denial of service and arbitrary code execution means that affected systems could experience complete service disruption or be fully compromised. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, when used in web-based attack scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3048 focus primarily on immediate version updates to patched libpng releases that address the memory allocation handling issues. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected libpng installations to versions 1.0.59, 1.2.49, 1.4.11, or 1.5.10 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary fixes for proper error handling during text chunk processing. Additionally, implementing input validation and sanitization measures for PNG file processing can provide defense-in-depth protection. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls and implementing strict file type validation to prevent malicious PNG files from reaching vulnerable applications. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of unpatched libpng installations within the infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive protection against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.