CVE-2013-4160 in CMS Color Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Little CMS (lcms2) before 2.5, as used in OpenJDK 7 and possibly other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) via vectors related to (1) cmsStageAllocLabV2ToV4curves, (2) cmsPipelineDup, (3) cmsAllocProfileSequenceDescription, (4) CurvesAlloc, and (5) cmsnamed.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4160 affects Little CMS version 2.5 and earlier, a widely used color management library that serves as a core component in various software applications including OpenJDK 7. This flaw represents a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash applications through NULL pointer dereference conditions. The vulnerability specifically targets five distinct functions within the Little CMS library where improper memory handling leads to system instability and application termination. The affected functions include cmsStageAllocLabV2ToV4curves, cmsPipelineDup, cmsAllocProfileSequenceDescription, CurvesAlloc, and cmsnamed, all of which demonstrate a common pattern of inadequate input validation and memory allocation checks that result in null pointer dereference conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when maliciously crafted color profile data is processed by applications that utilize the affected Little CMS library. When these applications encounter specially constructed input data during color management operations, the library fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting to access memory locations that have not been appropriately initialized. This leads to NULL pointer dereference errors that cause the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through normal color profile processing operations, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious input. The flaw operates at the memory management level where the library fails to implement proper bounds checking and null pointer validation during profile processing operations, creating an attack surface that can be exploited without requiring special privileges or authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4160 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially affect entire systems that rely on color management functionality. Applications using the vulnerable Little CMS library may become unstable and unresponsive when processing color profiles, leading to service disruption and potential data loss. In environments where color management is critical such as graphic design workstations, print servers, or multimedia applications, this vulnerability can cause significant operational disruption. The vulnerability affects not only OpenJDK 7 but potentially other software products that incorporate the affected Little CMS library, creating a widespread impact across various platforms and applications. System administrators must consider the cascading effects of such vulnerabilities, as application crashes can lead to broader system instability and may require extensive recovery procedures.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to Little CMS version 2.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the NULL pointer dereference issues in the affected functions. Organizations should prioritize patch management activities to ensure all systems using the vulnerable library are updated promptly. Additionally, implementing input validation controls at application level can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though the primary fix must come from updating the underlying library. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, as it enables remote attackers to disrupt service availability through crafted input data. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual application crash patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as well as maintaining comprehensive incident response procedures to handle potential service disruptions caused by such vulnerabilities.