CVE-2013-4276 in CMS Color Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in LittleCMS (aka lcms or liblcms) 1.19 and earlier allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted (1) ICC color profile to the icctrans utility or (2) TIFF image to the tiffdiff utility.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2013-4276 represents a critical security flaw in LittleCMS version 1.19 and earlier, a widely used color management library that processes color profiles and image data across various applications. This vulnerability manifests as multiple stack-based buffer overflows that can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger denial of service conditions through specifically crafted input files. The affected utilities include icctrans which processes ICC color profiles and tiffdiff which handles TIFF image comparisons, making this a significant threat to systems that rely on color management for image processing and printing workflows.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the LittleCMS library's handling of color profile data and TIFF image files. When these utilities process maliciously crafted input, they fail to properly bounds-check buffer allocations, leading to stack corruption that results in program crashes. The stack-based buffer overflow occurs because the software does not validate the size of incoming data against the allocated buffer space, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with controlled data. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue in software development practices.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4276 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged in broader attack scenarios within the MITRE ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation categories. Systems that utilize LittleCMS for color management, including graphic design applications, image processing software, and print management systems, become vulnerable to remote exploitation. The vulnerability affects not only individual user systems but also enterprise environments where color management is critical for consistent output across different devices and platforms. Attackers can exploit this flaw to cause system instability, potentially leading to more severe consequences if the vulnerable applications are part of larger automated workflows or are running with elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected LittleCMS installations to version 2.0 or later where the buffer overflow issues have been resolved. Organizations should implement input validation controls at multiple layers, including application-level sanitization of color profile and image file inputs, as well as network-level filtering to prevent malicious files from reaching vulnerable systems. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched systems to ensure that the vulnerability has been properly addressed without introducing regressions in color management functionality. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous file processing patterns, particularly in systems that regularly handle ICC color profiles or TIFF image data.