CVE-2016-7526 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
coders/wpg.c in ImageMagick allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7526 represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw within ImageMagick's WPG (Word Perfect Graphics) file format decoder. This issue resides in the coders/wpg.c file and enables remote attackers to execute a denial of service attack by crafting malicious WPG files that trigger memory corruption during image processing operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of malformed WPG image data structures, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write data beyond allocated memory buffers.
This flaw falls under CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that occur when a program writes to memory locations outside the bounds of a buffer. The technical implementation involves the WPG decoder failing to properly validate the size and structure of image data elements within the crafted file, leading to memory corruption that can result in application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer overflow pattern where attacker-controlled data influences memory access patterns beyond intended boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7526 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially be exploited to achieve more severe consequences depending on the environment where ImageMagick is deployed. Systems that process untrusted image files, such as web applications, content management systems, or file upload services, become vulnerable to exploitation. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause application crashes, leading to service disruption for legitimate users, and may potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack chains in environments where ImageMagick is used for automated image processing. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur without requiring local access to the target system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7526 should focus on immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 6.9.3-7 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the WPG decoder. Organizations should also implement robust input validation and sanitization for all image file uploads, particularly when using ImageMagick in web applications. Network-based mitigations include implementing file type restrictions and content inspection to prevent malicious WPG files from reaching vulnerable systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to privilege escalation and denial of service, as it can be used to disrupt services and potentially gain unauthorized access to systems through service disruption attacks. Additionally, implementing sandboxing mechanisms and restricting ImageMagick execution privileges can provide defense-in-depth against exploitation attempts.