CVE-2016-7532 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
coders/psd.c in ImageMagick allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via a crafted PSD file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7532 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within ImageMagick's PSD file handling component. This issue resides in the coders/psd.c file which processes Photoshop Document format files, making it a significant concern for systems that handle image processing operations. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to craft malicious PSD files that trigger memory access violations when the software attempts to read data beyond allocated buffer boundaries. Such out-of-bounds read conditions typically occur when input validation is insufficient and the software fails to properly verify array indices or buffer limits during file parsing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when ImageMagick processes a specially crafted PSD file that contains malformed data structures. During the parsing process, the software attempts to access memory locations that are outside the intended buffer boundaries, leading to unpredictable behavior including program crashes or denial of service conditions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in software applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where the PSD parser does not adequately check array bounds or validate the structure of incoming data before processing it.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to systems that rely on ImageMagick for image processing tasks, particularly those exposed to untrusted user uploads or external file sources. Attackers can leverage this flaw to cause denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate operations, potentially leading to system downtime or resource exhaustion. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local access or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in web applications or services that accept image uploads. This vulnerability can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, as it specifically targets service availability through memory corruption.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7532 primarily involve applying the official patches released by ImageMagick developers, which typically include enhanced input validation and proper bounds checking for PSD file parsing operations. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as restricting file upload capabilities, validating file types through multiple methods, and employing sandboxing techniques for image processing operations. Network-based mitigations include implementing file type filtering at network boundaries and monitoring for suspicious file upload patterns. Additionally, system administrators should regularly update their ImageMagick installations and monitor for similar vulnerabilities in related components, as this type of memory corruption vulnerability often indicates broader issues with input validation practices within the software ecosystem. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust memory safety practices and proper input validation in image processing libraries that handle complex file formats with multiple potential data structures and encoding methods.