CVE-2014-2270 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
softmagic.c in file before 5.17 and libmagic allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds memory access and crash) via crafted offsets in the softmagic of a PE executable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2270 represents a critical memory access flaw within the file command's magic file processing functionality, specifically affecting versions of libmagic prior to 5.17. This issue resides in the softmagic.c component which handles the interpretation of magic numbers and patterns within binary files, particularly PE (Portable Executable) files used in windows environments. The flaw manifests when the file command processes crafted PE executables containing malformed offset values within their softmagic data sections, creating a scenario where memory access occurs beyond the bounds of allocated buffers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits improper input validation within the magic file parsing mechanism. When the file command encounters a PE file with maliciously crafted softmagic offsets, it fails to properly validate the offset values before using them to access memory locations. This leads to out-of-bounds memory access patterns that can result in segmentation faults or memory corruption, ultimately causing the file command to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability is context-dependent meaning it requires specific conditions to be exploited, namely the presence of a specially crafted PE file with malformed softmagic data that triggers the flawed memory access pattern.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that rely on the file command for automated file type detection and analysis. Attackers could leverage this flaw to perform denial of service attacks against systems that process untrusted files through the file command, potentially disrupting critical services or automated workflows. The vulnerability affects not just individual systems but entire infrastructure that depends on file type identification for security scanning, malware analysis, or content filtering operations. Organizations using file command in automated security contexts or file processing pipelines face potential service interruptions and system instability when encountering maliciously crafted PE files.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of affected libmagic versions to 5.17 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and input validation for softmagic offset values. System administrators should also implement additional file validation layers and consider sandboxing file processing operations to contain potential impacts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write categories from the Common Weakness Enumeration, representing memory safety issues that can lead to system instability and potential exploitation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 Network Denial of Service and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to disrupt system services through crafted file inputs. Organizations should also consider implementing file reputation systems and automated scanning for known malicious patterns to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities in their environments.