CVE-2016-10059 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in coders/tiff.c in ImageMagick before 6.9.4-1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or unspecified other impact via a crafted TIFF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10059 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within ImageMagick's TIFF file processing component, specifically in the coders/tiff.c file. This issue affects versions prior to 6.9.4-1 and demonstrates a classic memory corruption vulnerability that can be exploited through maliciously crafted TIFF image files. The flaw arises from inadequate input validation and bounds checking during the parsing of TIFF file structures, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout through carefully constructed file contents. Such vulnerabilities fall under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient space is allocated for data buffers, leading to memory corruption. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it enables remote exploitation without requiring user interaction, making it a significant threat to web applications and services that process user-uploaded images through ImageMagick.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of TIFF file metadata and image data structures during the decoding process. When ImageMagick attempts to parse a malformed TIFF file, the software fails to properly validate the size parameters and data offsets within the TIFF header structures, resulting in a buffer overflow condition. This overflow can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially causing the application to crash or behave unpredictably. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment and memory layout. The vulnerability is classified under the ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves the exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities to achieve arbitrary code execution or system compromise. The specific nature of the flaw makes it particularly dangerous in environments where ImageMagick is used for automated image processing, such as content management systems, web applications, and file conversion services.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10059 manifests primarily through service disruption and potential escalation to more severe security incidents. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause application crashes, leading to denial of service conditions that affect legitimate users and system availability. In environments where ImageMagick is integrated into web applications or automated processing pipelines, this vulnerability can be leveraged to disrupt services or potentially gain unauthorized access. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous in cloud environments or multi-tenant systems. Organizations using affected versions of ImageMagick should immediately consider implementing network segmentation, input validation, and regular security updates to mitigate the risk. The flaw also highlights the importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and demonstrates how seemingly benign file format parsing can become a critical security concern when proper bounds checking is omitted. Security practitioners should monitor for exploitation attempts and ensure that all systems processing image files have been updated to patched versions of ImageMagick. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for robust input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing libraries and applications that handle untrusted file formats.