CVE-2016-10058 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leak in the ReadPSDLayers function in coders/psd.c in ImageMagick before 6.9.6-3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a crafted image file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10058 represents a critical memory management flaw within ImageMagick's handling of Photoshop Document (PSD) files. This issue resides in the ReadPSDLayers function located in the coders/psd.c source file, where improper memory allocation and deallocation mechanisms create a persistent memory leak condition. The flaw affects ImageMagick versions prior to 6.9.6-3, making a substantial portion of the software ecosystem vulnerable to this specific class of denial of service attack. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates through the image processing pipeline, where malicious actors can exploit it by crafting specially formatted PSD files that trigger the vulnerable code path during file parsing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when ImageMagick processes a malformed PSD file that contains crafted layer data structures. During the ReadPSDLayers function execution, the software allocates memory blocks to store layer information but fails to properly release these allocations when processing certain invalid or unexpected layer configurations. This memory leak accumulates over time as the application continues to process additional PSD files, leading to progressive memory consumption that can eventually exhaust available system resources. The vulnerability is classified as a memory leak under CWE-401, which specifically addresses the failure to release memory resources after their use, and represents a classic example of resource exhaustion attacks that can be leveraged for denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10058 extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, as it can severely disrupt services that rely on ImageMagick for image processing tasks. Systems utilizing ImageMagick for web applications, content management systems, or automated image handling workflows become vulnerable to sustained denial of service attacks where malicious users can upload crafted PSD files to consume system memory continuously. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion, and can be particularly devastating in cloud environments or shared hosting platforms where multiple users might be processing images through the same ImageMagick instance. The cumulative effect of memory leaks can lead to application crashes, system instability, and complete service unavailability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate software updates to versions 6.9.6-3 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the memory leak in the PSD layer reading functionality. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all instances of ImageMagick are updated promptly, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation controls that reject suspicious file formats, deploying file type detection mechanisms that can identify potentially malicious PSD files, and establishing monitoring systems to detect unusual memory consumption patterns. Network segmentation and application-level firewalls can further reduce exposure by limiting access to ImageMagick processing functions and implementing rate limiting for image upload operations. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and highlights the need for thorough code review and testing of file parsing functions to prevent similar issues in other software components.