CVE-2014-9806 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (file descriptor consumption) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9806 resides within ImageMagick, a widely deployed software suite for creating, editing, and converting bitmap images. This particular flaw represents a denial of service condition that can be triggered remotely through the manipulation of specially crafted image files. The vulnerability specifically targets the file descriptor handling mechanisms within ImageMagick's processing pipeline, where maliciously constructed files can cause the application to consume excessive file descriptors leading to system resource exhaustion.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests when ImageMagick processes malformed image files that contain crafted structures designed to exploit improper resource management within the software's image parsing routines. The flaw occurs during the file descriptor allocation phase where the software fails to properly validate or limit the number of file descriptors that can be opened during image processing operations. This allows attackers to craft files that, when processed, cause the application to open numerous file descriptors without proper cleanup or bounds checking, ultimately exhausting the available file descriptor limits on the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-9806 extends beyond simple service disruption as it can be leveraged in various attack scenarios including distributed denial of service attacks against systems running ImageMagick. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause legitimate processes to fail due to resource exhaustion, potentially leading to cascading failures in applications that depend on the affected system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in web environments where ImageMagick is commonly used for image processing in content management systems, web applications, and file upload handlers, as attackers can exploit this weakness through user-uploaded malicious files.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-400, which describes Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, and more specifically to CWE-778, which addresses Insufficient Logging. The attack pattern aligns with TTPs found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Initial Access and Execution phases, where adversaries establish persistence through resource exhaustion attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates how improper resource management in widely used libraries can create significant security implications, as ImageMagick's integration across numerous platforms amplifies the potential impact of such flaws.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9806 should focus on immediate patching of affected ImageMagick versions, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all image uploads, and establishing monitoring for unusual file descriptor consumption patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing resource limits and quotas for processes that utilize ImageMagick, while network-level controls such as content filtering and file type validation can provide additional defense in depth. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick and ensure proper configuration management practices are implemented to prevent exploitation through file upload mechanisms and web-based processing pipelines.