CVE-2014-9851 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick 6.8.9.9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9851 affects ImageMagick version 6.8.9.9 and represents a denial of service flaw that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash applications relying on this image processing library. This vulnerability resides within the core image processing functionality of ImageMagick, which is widely used across web applications, content management systems, and digital asset management platforms for handling various image formats including jpeg png gif and bmp. The flaw specifically manifests when the software processes malformed or specially crafted image files that trigger unexpected behavior in the image parsing routines.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within ImageMagick's image format handling code. When processing certain malformed image data structures, the software fails to properly validate buffer boundaries and memory allocation parameters, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in application termination. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, though it specifically impacts heap memory management in the image processing pipeline. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through simple file uploads or image processing operations without requiring any special privileges or authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-9851 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to repeatedly crash image processing services, leading to persistent denial of service conditions that affect legitimate users and can be used as part of larger attack campaigns. Systems utilizing ImageMagick for automated image processing, web applications that accept user-uploaded images, and content delivery networks that process images through this library are all at risk. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in cloud environments and multi-tenant systems where a single compromised image could affect multiple users or applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9851 should include immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 6.8.9.10 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory handling issues. Organizations should implement additional input validation measures including image format verification, size restrictions, and sandboxing of image processing operations to limit potential impact. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls can help detect and block suspicious image file uploads that might trigger the vulnerability. Security monitoring should focus on identifying repeated service crashes or unusual image processing patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service attacks, while the CWE classification places it within the broader context of memory safety issues that can lead to application instability and potential privilege escalation in more complex attack scenarios.