CVE-2016-10054 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the WriteMAPImage function in coders/map.c in ImageMagick before 6.9.5-8 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or other unspecified impact via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10054 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within ImageMagick's image processing pipeline, specifically affecting the WriteMAPImage function located in the coders/map.c source file. This flaw exists in ImageMagick versions prior to 6.9.5-8, making a substantial portion of the software ecosystem susceptible to exploitation. The buffer overflow occurs during the handling of MAP image format files, which are commonly used for storing color palette information in image processing workflows. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment and system configuration.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the WriteMAPImage function, where insufficient validation of input data allows maliciously crafted MAP files to overwrite adjacent memory locations. When a vulnerable ImageMagick instance processes a specially constructed MAP file, the application fails to properly validate the size of data being written to memory buffers, leading to memory corruption. This memory corruption manifests as application crashes during image processing operations, effectively causing denial of service conditions that can be exploited remotely by attackers who can influence the image processing workflow. The vulnerability operates at the level of image format handling within the broader ImageMagick library ecosystem, which is widely deployed across web applications, content management systems, and image processing services.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10054 extends significantly beyond simple service disruption, as it represents a potential entry point for more serious security compromises within environments that process untrusted image content. Systems utilizing ImageMagick for image conversion, web application file uploads, or automated image processing workflows become vulnerable to remote exploitation, potentially allowing attackers to cause persistent service interruptions or even achieve arbitrary code execution depending on the underlying system architecture and memory protection mechanisms. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates how improper memory management in image processing libraries can create widespread security implications across numerous applications and platforms. Organizations deploying ImageMagick in production environments must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture, particularly in scenarios involving untrusted input processing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10054 primarily focus on immediate version updates to ImageMagick 6.9.5-8 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all instances of ImageMagick are updated across their infrastructure, particularly in web-facing applications and services that process user-uploaded images. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation and sanitization for image file processing, deploying network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. From an operational security perspective, organizations should consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched systems and establish incident response procedures that account for remote exploitation capabilities. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes exploitation of software vulnerabilities for remote code execution, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures beyond simple patching.