CVE-2016-10144 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
coders/ipl.c in ImageMagick allows remote attackers to have unspecific impact by leveraging a missing malloc check.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10144 resides within the ImageMagick image processing library, specifically in the coders/ipl.c file which handles IPL (Intel Performance Library) image format decoding. This flaw represents a critical memory management issue that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The vulnerability stems from a missing malloc check during the image processing workflow, which creates a potential avenue for memory corruption attacks. When ImageMagick attempts to decode IPL formatted images, the absence of proper memory allocation validation allows attackers to manipulate the allocation process and potentially overwrite memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through network-based image processing operations without requiring user interaction. The flaw demonstrates a classic buffer overflow condition that can be leveraged for privilege escalation or denial of service attacks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, as the missing malloc check creates a scenario where memory is allocated without proper validation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter - Python, since ImageMagick is frequently used in web applications and scripting environments where such vulnerabilities can be exploited through automated attack vectors. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it can be chained with other exploits to achieve remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous in web server environments where image processing is common. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of ImageMagick and can be exploited through various image formats that utilize the IPL coder, making the attack surface quite broad.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2016-10144 requires an attacker to craft a malicious IPL formatted image file that triggers the missing malloc check condition. When the vulnerable ImageMagick library processes this malformed image, the improper memory allocation handling can lead to heap corruption or stack overflow conditions. The lack of proper input validation in the IPL decoder means that attackers can manipulate the expected memory allocation sizes, potentially causing the application to allocate insufficient memory or overwrite adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability is particularly insidious because it can be triggered through automated image processing pipelines, making it difficult to detect and prevent. The memory corruption can manifest in various ways including application crashes, memory leaks, or more critically, the ability to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the ImageMagick process. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through web applications that use ImageMagick for image processing, allowing attackers to perform remote code execution without requiring authentication or specific user interaction. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution threat because the memory corruption can be leveraged to control program execution flow and potentially gain unauthorized access to systems.
Organizations utilizing ImageMagick in their infrastructure should implement immediate mitigations to protect against exploitation of CVE-2016-10144. The most effective approach involves upgrading to patched versions of ImageMagick that include proper malloc validation checks in the IPL coder implementation. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level restrictions that prevent processing of untrusted image files, particularly those from external sources. Input validation measures should be enforced at multiple layers including web application firewalls and content filtering systems that can detect and block potentially malicious image files. The implementation of sandboxing techniques for image processing operations can provide additional protection by isolating the vulnerable ImageMagick processes from critical system resources. Security teams should also monitor for suspicious image processing activities and implement logging mechanisms that can detect unusual memory allocation patterns or processing errors. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should include checks for the presence of vulnerable ImageMagick versions in the environment. According to industry best practices, organizations should follow the principle of least privilege when configuring ImageMagick installations, limiting the capabilities of the image processing components to reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing automated patch management systems can help ensure that all instances of ImageMagick are kept up-to-date with the latest security fixes. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and the need for comprehensive input validation in all file format decoders. Organizations should also consider implementing multiple layers of security controls, including network segmentation and application whitelisting, to minimize the attack surface and reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation.