CVE-2016-8883 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
The jpc_dec_tiledecode function in jpc_dec.c in JasPer before 1.900.8 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8883 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the JasPer image processing library, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.900.8. This flaw resides in the jpc_dec_tiledecode function located within the jpc_dec.c source file, which is part of the JPEG 2000 decoding implementation. The issue manifests when the library processes malformed or crafted image files that trigger an assertion failure during the decoding process, effectively causing the application to crash or become unresponsive.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the JPEG 2000 decoder component. When a maliciously constructed file is processed, the jpc_dec_tiledecode function fails to properly handle exceptional conditions or malformed data structures that should be gracefully rejected or handled with appropriate error recovery mechanisms. This assertion failure occurs because the function makes assumptions about the validity of input data that are not properly validated before processing, leading to a program termination that can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt service availability.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems that rely on JasPer for image processing, particularly web applications, content management systems, and any service that accepts user-uploaded image files. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted JPEG 2000 files that, when processed by vulnerable applications, will cause denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered remotely without requiring authentication, making it an attractive target for automated attacks that could overwhelm services or cause cascading failures in applications that depend on this library.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-617, which addresses reachable assertions, and represents a classic example of insufficient error handling in security-critical code. From an attack framework perspective, this weakness maps to the attack technique of service disruption within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the availability aspect of the CIA triad. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially affect entire service availability, especially in high-traffic environments where multiple concurrent requests could be simultaneously affected.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to mitigate this vulnerability, as the remediation involves updating to JasPer version 1.900.8 or later, which includes proper input validation and error handling mechanisms. Additional mitigations may include implementing file type validation at the application level, restricting file upload capabilities, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with exploitation attempts. Network-level protections such as content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional defense in depth, though the most effective approach remains the timely application of the vendor-provided security patches.