CVE-2012-1051 in XnView
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Xjp2.dll in the JPEG2000 plug-in in XnView 1.98.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a JPEG2000 (JP2) file with a crafted Quantization Default (QCD) marker segment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1051 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within the XnView image viewer software version 1.98.5. This vulnerability specifically affects the JPEG2000 plug-in component known as Xjp2.dll which processes JP2 files using the JPEG2000 format standard. The flaw manifests when the software encounters a specially crafted JPEG2000 file containing a malformed Quantization Default (QCD) marker segment, which triggers improper memory handling during the image parsing process.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the Xjp2.dll library when processing the QCD marker segment of JPEG2000 files. The QCD marker segment contains quantization parameters that define how the image data should be quantized during compression, but when this segment is crafted with malicious values, it causes the application to write beyond the allocated heap memory boundaries. This heap overflow condition creates an exploitable memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users who may inadvertently open maliciously crafted JPEG2000 files through the XnView application. The remote execution aspect means attackers can deliver malicious files via email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing platforms without requiring local access to the target system. The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability affects the application's memory management functions and can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected user.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate code execution capabilities to encompass potential privilege escalation and persistent access. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to install malware, establish backdoors, or perform reconnaissance activities within the compromised environment. Organizations using XnView 1.98.5 should consider this vulnerability as a high-priority threat requiring immediate remediation through software updates or patches provided by the vendor. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing libraries, particularly those handling complex image formats like JPEG2000 that require extensive parsing of structured data segments. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all image viewing applications are regularly updated to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the wild.