CVE-2016-7538 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
coders/psd.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 • 12/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7538 represents a critical out-of-bounds write 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 particularly dangerous as PSD files are commonly used in graphic design workflows and digital media production environments. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and boundary checking when parsing maliciously crafted PSD files, potentially allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability through carefully constructed file payloads.
This flaw constitutes a classic buffer overflow vulnerability that falls under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of the length or size of input data. The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of PSD file structures to trigger memory corruption during the parsing process. When ImageMagick attempts to read and process the malicious PSD file, the software fails to properly validate array bounds, leading to memory corruption that can result in application crashes or potentially more severe consequences including privilege escalation or code execution. The out-of-bounds write occurs because the software does not adequately verify the size of data structures within the PSD file format before attempting to access memory locations beyond allocated boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7538 extends far beyond simple denial of service, as it represents a significant threat to systems that process user-uploaded or third-party image files. In web environments where ImageMagick is used for image processing, this vulnerability can be exploited through malicious file uploads, potentially allowing attackers to crash web applications or gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability affects numerous applications and platforms that rely on ImageMagick for image manipulation, including content management systems, web applications, and digital asset management platforms. According to ATT&CK framework category T1499, this represents a denial of service attack that can be leveraged as part of broader exploitation campaigns, while also potentially enabling privilege escalation through memory corruption techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7538 should focus on immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations, as this vulnerability was addressed through version updates that included proper input validation and boundary checking mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation and file validation policies to prevent unauthorized file uploads, while also considering the deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious file patterns. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of ImageMagick, particularly those handling user-generated content or processing files from untrusted sources. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure that the fix does not introduce compatibility issues with legitimate image processing workflows, while also implementing monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous file processing patterns or system behavior.