CVE-2013-5358 in Picasa
Summary
by MITRE
Picasa3.exe in Google Picasa before 3.9.0 Build 137.69 allows remote attackers to trigger memory corruption via a crafted TIFF tag, as demonstrated using a KDC file with a DSLR-A100 model and certain sequences of tags.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5358 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Google Picasa version 3.9.0 Build 137.69 and earlier. This issue manifests through the Picasa3.exe executable when processing specially crafted TIFF image files, specifically those containing KDC format data from DSLR-A100 camera models. The vulnerability falls under the category of buffer overflow conditions that can be exploited remotely, making it particularly dangerous for users who may inadvertently open maliciously crafted image files.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves improper input validation within the image parsing routines of Picasa's TIFF processing engine. When the application encounters a crafted TIFF tag structure within a KDC file, the parsing logic fails to properly bounds-check memory allocations, leading to heap corruption. This type of flaw maps directly to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. The specific exploitation vector leverages the TIFF file format's complex tag structure where certain sequences of tags can cause the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing, subsequently leading to memory corruption when the application attempts to write beyond allocated boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple local privilege escalation as it represents a remote code execution threat. Attackers can craft malicious TIFF files that, when opened by an unsuspecting user with Picasa installed, will trigger the memory corruption and potentially allow for arbitrary code execution. This presents significant risk in enterprise environments where users may open files from untrusted sources, and the vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering campaigns targeting image file attachments. The attack surface is particularly broad since TIFF files are commonly used across various imaging applications and can be embedded in emails, web pages, or shared documents, making this a particularly effective vector for widespread exploitation.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1203 which covers "Exploitation of Remote Services." The vulnerability's remote nature and potential for arbitrary code execution make it particularly attractive to threat actors who seek to establish persistent access to target systems. Organizations should consider implementing defensive measures such as application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of Picasa, network segmentation to limit exposure, and regular security updates to ensure all systems are running patched versions. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening unknown image files and implementing email filtering mechanisms to block suspicious attachments can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of file format parsers to prevent similar issues in other software applications.